[Quest 3 Standalone] Forward+, Mobile, or Compatibility for a 3D VR project in Godot 4.6?

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1

Godot Version

4.6.1

Question

Hello everyone,

I’m currently leading a team developing a standalone VR game for the Meta Quest 3 using Godot 4.6.

To give some context on our rendering needs: the project is a 3D monster collection game featuring turn-based strategic combat. Visually, it blends sci-fi and mythological elements. This means we will have relatively detailed character models and complex VFX for combat abilities, but the camera movement will be much more controlled and predictable compared to a fast-paced VR FPS.

We are currently at a crossroads regarding which renderer to commit to for our production pipeline. I’ve read the documentation, but I’d love to get some practical insights from developers who have shipped or are deep into Quest 3 standalone development in the current Godot ecosystem.

Here is our current dilemma:

1. Compatibility (OpenGL ES 3.0): The official documentation highly recommends this for Android/XR stability. However, given our sci-fi aesthetic, we are concerned about the ceiling for lighting, shadows, and advanced VFX. Will Compatibility severely bottleneck the visual fidelity we want to achieve on a device as capable as the Quest 3?

2. Mobile (Vulkan): The Quest 3’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 is quite powerful and uses a TBDR architecture that should theoretically pair perfectly with the Mobile renderer. Does the Mobile renderer currently offer a stable enough Vulkan experience for Quest 3 in Godot 4.6, or are the driver-level bugs (flickering, crashes) still a dealbreaker for a commercial release?

3. Forward+: I understand this is primarily designed for desktop GPUs. Is anyone successfully using Forward+ on Quest 3 standalone via aggressive optimization or Application SpaceWarp, or is it strictly off-limits due to bandwidth/thermal constraints?

Essentially, we are trying to find the sweet spot between Vulkan’s modern feature set and OpenGL’s bulletproof stability. Any advice, performance metrics, or war stories regarding these renderers on Quest 3 in Godot 4.6 would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks in advance!

2

Forward+ no, not on standalone.

Mobile is workable, I know augmental puzzles is using it, and personally I’ve been impressed with the performance increases in recent godot versions after using it in my own game jam games.

Compat is the guaranteed safest option.

3

Conpat might be the best bet but I have found it also to cause issues. Forward+ is a definite no go. I never had any issues using mobile.