quest 3

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Quest 2 is Vastly Outselling Quest 3 so Far This Holiday on Amazon

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With such an alluring price point on Quest 2 during the Black Friday period, it makes sense the headset would sell more than Quest 3. But what will it mean for the company’s effort to make mixed reality the main selling proposition of its headsets?

Twitter user JustDaven pointed out that Amazon reveals some coarse sales figures in certain cases, including for Quest 2 and Quest 3. We thought it would be interesting to look at all of the major Amazon territories where Quests are sold to find out what the numbers look like.

Across all major Amazon territories (just one of many places where the headset is sold), we found that Meta has sold some 240,000 Quest headsets. What’s more interesting than the raw number however is that Quest 2 is outselling Quest 3 nearly 3:1.

Even though Quest 3 is the hot new model that’s getting all the marketing, it’s not surprising how this happened.

The Quest 2 had a pretty stellar Black Friday discount with a sticker price of $250, including a $50 gift card (pricing it effectively at $200). Compare that to the lowest sticker price for Quest 3 which was $500, including a $15 gift card and a copy of Asgard’s Wrath 2 (pricing it effectively at $425).

Considering the Black Friday sticker prices ($250 vs. $500), people will naturally ask: “At twice the price of Quest 2, is Quest 3 twice as good?”

What It Means

In any case, the cheaper headset appears to be the clear winner so far this holiday season. But what does this mean for Meta—which has been trying to pivot from pure VR to mixed reality with its last two headsets?

Demeo Mixed Reality mode | Image courtesy Meta

Meta has pushed mixed reality as the primary use-case for both the Quest Pro and Quest 3. But while developers still need time to build killer apps and use-cases for mixed reality, a fresh surge of Quest 2 users is about to hit—a headset which just barely supports mixed reality experiences with a grainy black & white view.

This creates a difficult decision for developers: build for the new-fangled headsets with their greater power, better visuals, and much improved mixed reality capabilities? Or cater to the much larger audience of Quest 2 users?

This is of course always the case when game developers need to choose when to shift their focus to a next-gen game console. But this is different.

Between PS4 and PS5, for instance, there is no significant difference between the consoles that compares with the difference in mixed reality capabilities between Quest 2 and Quest 3. For PS4 and PS5, it’s comparatively easy for developers to build a single game and tune it to run well on both systems.

That’s arguably the same case for Quest 2 to Quest 3, but only if we’re talking about pure VR apps.

But a great mixed reality game built for Quest 3 is really going to struggle to provide a good experience on Quest 2; not only because of the lower resolution and black & white passthrough view, but also Quest 2’s lack of depth-sensor—a critical component for creating reasonably accurate maps of the player’s environment to truly mix the virtual and real worlds.

Quest 2 is already three years old. That’s not long for a typical console generation, but it is in the much faster moving landscape of standalone VR headsets.

A new surge of users for the last-gen headset will inevitably slow the transition to the next generation. That means developers will stay focused on the broader Quest 2 audience for a longer period, leaving Quest Pro and Quest 3 with less content that truly takes care of their main differentiator of higher quality mixed reality.

Image courtesy Meta

Ever since Quest Pro, Meta has focused its Quest marketing very heavily on mixed reality, giving customers a sense that there’s lots of great mixed reality content for the devices. But that’s far from the truth as things stand today. Mixed reality games and apps are still barely gestating, with most simply attaching a passthrough background to an existing game. Sure, that might make those games better in some cases, but it doesn’t really make use of the headsets’ mixed reality capabilities.

So while Meta would apparently like to see developers accelerate their transition to Quest Pro and Quest 3’s unique capabilities, the market is incentivizing them to decelerate that transition. That puts the platform and its developers at odds, with customers stuck somewhere in the twilight zone between.

Quest 2 is Vastly Outselling Quest 3 so Far This Holiday on Amazon Read More »

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Meta Pauses Quest 3 Elite Battery Strap Sales Amid Widespread Charging Fault

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Meta paused shipments of its Elite Strap with Battery for Quest 3 amid widespread user reports of a charging fault that renders the battery useless. Meta says it’s now manufacturing new battery straps that fixes the defect, and that replacements are being handled on a case-by-case basis.

We reported earlier this month that the Elite Strap with Battery was facing serious reliability issues among its users. For some, the $130 accessory, which provides around two hours of extra playtime and better ergonomics than the stock strap, simply refused to charge Quest 3 after a certain point, rendering it largely an expensive counterweight.

At the time, Meta Support told Road to VR that replacing faulty units with a fresh one “may not necessarily resolve the problem,” which ostensibly pointed either to a hardware fault or an issue with the Elite Battery Strap’s firmware.

Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery | Image courtesy Meta

A Meta spokesperson has now confirmed with Road to VR that it has temporarily paused sales of the device while it manufactures new ones without the fault, which the company says was indeed related to the device’s firmware.

Meta says it’s not recalling the device as such, but rather replacing affected units on a case-by-case basis, and that it’s working with retailer partners to stock new units “as soon as possible.”

In the meantime, official Meta retail partners Target and Best Buy have completely removed listings for the device. Listings are still available on a few retailers, including Amazon and directly through Meta, albeit marked as ‘out of stock’ with no indication when new stock will ship. We’ve reached out to several major retailers for a quote on availability, and will update this article when/if we hear back.

For now, you may still find the odd Elite Strap with Battery for Quest 3 still on the store shelves at places such as Best Buy, although some Reddit users have reported being unable to actually buy units in-person as late as last week, as stores weren’t allowed to sell them. Until new stock arrives, users should be aware they potentially have a faulty unit.

That said, many users haven’t experienced the fault at all, so it’s still not clear what behavior can set it off. Whatever the case, US consumers have a one-year warranty to replace Meta devices, while EU consumers have two years to do so. If you have issues with your Elite Strap with Battery for Quest 3, the company suggests reaching out to Meta Support for troubleshooting and/or replacement.

This isn’t the first time Meta faced manufacturing issues with the Elite Strap line. Released for Quest 2 in 2020, both the Elite Strap and Elite Strap with Battery suffered premature breakage due to design issues that caused the device’s plastic struts to spontaneously crack. Meta extended the warranty of both Elite Strap variants once it unpaused sales in late 2020, or around two months after the company initially halted shipments of faulty units.

Meta Pauses Quest 3 Elite Battery Strap Sales Amid Widespread Charging Fault Read More »

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Co-op Dungeon Crawler ‘Dungeons of Eternity’ Has Big Plans for Post-launch Content

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Dungeons of Eternity (2023), the VR hack-n-slash adventure, has big plans for post-launch content, as developers Othergate announced its roadmap for the next year.

Released on Quest in October, Dungeons of Eternity includes both co-op and solo gameplay, pitting you against ever-changing dungeons with up to three other players.

The game’s randomly-generated dungeons also include multiple game modes and realms, featuring stuff like combat arenas, puzzles, trap rooms, secret chambers, and more—basically everything you’d expect from a DnD-style VR game.

At any rate, that’s what the game launched with a little over a month ago, but now the studio says it has a bunch of new content on the horizon, as the studio released a roadmap projecting clear out to the end of next year. Check it out below:

Image courtesy Othergate

Studio co-founder Ryan Rutherford also says in a recent Reddit AMA that the team has a “precise vision of creating a long-lasting VR experience you can enjoy with your friends or by yourself,” noting that the studio is entertaining a host of other improvements beyond those mentioned above.

You can find it on the Meta Store for Quest, priced at $30. At the time of this writing, Dungeons of Eternity is sporting a [4.65/5] user rating.

Co-op Dungeon Crawler ‘Dungeons of Eternity’ Has Big Plans for Post-launch Content Read More »

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Meta’s $130 Elite Battery Strap for Quest 3 is Facing Major Reliability Issues

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From flagship smartphones to VR headsets, first-party accessories tend to be pretty expensive. Along with the higher price tag though, consumers typically expect exceptional quality. After all, the product’s designers had a head start, so those day-one accessories should be, if not the best out there, at very least high quality. Meta sells an array of useful accessories to fit that description, although some of its most expensive first-party stuff—namely its Elite Strap—continues to face reliability issues even today, as many users of the Elite Strap with Battery for Quest 3 are reporting faulty units.

If you’re looking to use the headset long-term, ditching the default fabric strap is one of the biggest single ways to improve your overall comfort. Meta knows this, and if you’ve worn either a Quest 2 or Quest 3 with the stock strap for more than an hour, you probably know it too. Depending on your point of view, you might call it product modularity, planned obsolescence, or even exploitative accessorizing.

Since the release of Quest 2 in 2020, Meta has produced its own brand of aftermarket headstraps: Elite Strap and Elite Strap with Battery, the latter of which comes with an external battery on that back that adds around two hours of extra juice. Yes. They’re priced at an eye-blistering $70 and $130 respectively for Quest 3, and $10 bucks less for both for Quest 2 versions. They do improve ergonomics by a wide margin though, and the extra battery is nice too.

Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery | Image courtesy Meta

Granted, you definitely don’t have to buy them—one look at Amazon shows Meta’s first-party stuff is usually well and above double the current asking price for third-party alternatives—but Meta is betting you’ll at least consider it before hitting the checkout button.

And that would be fine if they didn’t break a few months out of the box like early batches of the Quest 2 Elite Straps did, or refused to work at all, which is the case for many who currently own the Elite Strap with Battery for Quest 3. Again, a $130 accessory. To be fair, Meta issued a two-year extended warranty on its Elite Straps for Quest 2 because so many users were reporting excessive and unwarranted breakages of the plastic struts, but at this point the product line is starting to feel cursed.

Since its launch in October, many users across Reddit and Meta forums have reported the Quest 3’s Elite Strap with Battery isn’t working. The battery works for a bit, but then won’t charge the Quest 3 at all, rendering it essentially an expensive counterweight.

We conducted an informal poll, and 43 percent of respondents who had the strap for Quest 3 stated they’ve experienced similar charging issues, which suggests it’s not simply user error either, but rather some sort of manufacturer defect.

Image courtesy Meta

So what? The answer should be easy. Just send it back and get a new one, right? Well, Meta isn’t suggesting its customers do that.

“While we typically offer RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) for defective units, replacing the strap may not necessarily resolve the problem. We are aware of the emerging issue where the Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery is not recognized by the headset or fails to charge,” Meta support told Road to VR. “Our engineering team is actively working on finding a solution for this issue. Once they have identified a resolution, we will contact you with an update.”

Some users report successfully going through the RMA process, only to have to go through it multiple times to receive a unit that actually works.

I’m on my 3rd one. First 2 failed after 1-2 days. 3rd one working so far.

— VR Lowdown (@VRLowdown) November 14, 2023

I would say you should think twice about buying it, but just today Meta took down availability of its Elite Strap with Battery for Quest 3 across all of its supported regions.

Image captured by Road to VR

While out of stock directly through Meta, you can still nab it from participating retailers though, like Best Buy and Target, both of which feature their fair share of 1-star user reviews citing that very issue.

For now, Meta hasn’t shared any further insight on what the problem exactly is, whether it be software or hardware related. Until the company addresses it though, we strongly advise you against buying the Elite Strap with Battery for Quest 3, as it could put a serious damper on the holidays.

We’re following this story as it develops. Check back soon for updates.

Meta’s $130 Elite Battery Strap for Quest 3 is Facing Major Reliability Issues Read More »

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Meta’s Best-selling VR Headset Drops to $250 in Early Holiday Deal

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It’s pretty unlikely we’ll see any deals this year on Meta’s latest and greatest VR standalone, Quest 3. Before the holiday season kicks into gear though, the company is dropping the price of Quest 2 to just $250.

Both variants are on sale from now until December 31st, dropping the 128GB version from $300 to $250, and the 256GB version from $350 to $300. It’s a limited-time deal though, so there’ no telling when the company will pull the plug.

Launched in 2020, that puts Quest 2 now at half the price of the new Quest 3, which sells for $500 for the 128GB version and $650 for the 512GB version.

Image courtesy Meta

Thankfully, with Quest 2 you can play every game on the Quest Store today. Granted, it doesn’t have the full-color mixed reality capabilities of Quest 3, but you can rest assured knowing that (at least for now) there are no Quest 3 exclusives to make you too envious. Check out the spec sheet below to get a better idea of how the headsets differ.

You can find the deal on Quest 2 over at Meta.com, but also participating retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.

And what games can you play on Quest 2? Well, you don’t need a computer—just the headset—to play a host of popular VR titles such as hit rhythm game Beat Saber, battle royale shooter Population: One, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted, Among Us VR, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, NFL PRO ERA—the list of best-selling Quest titles goes on.

You can also hook the headset up to a VR-ready computer to play award-winning games such as Half-Life: Alyx, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR, Lone Echo, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice VR, and more. Make sure your computer is capable first though since PC VR games can be really resource intensive.

So while Quest 2 has everything in the box to get up playing VR games, there are a few pain points that accessories can solve—many of which can be bought from third parties and not Meta itself if you’re looking to save a buck.

Check out the specs below, but also get a look at our Quest 3 review to learn more about what separates Meta’s consumer VR headsets.

Quest 3 vs. Quest 2 Specs
Quest 3 Quest 2
Resolution 2,064 × 2,208 (4.5MP) per-eye, LCD (2x) 1,832 × 1,920 (3.5MP) per-eye, LCD (1x)
Refresh Rate 90Hz, 120Hz (experimental) 60Hz, 72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz
Optics Pancake non-Fresnel Single element Fresnel
Field-of-view (claimed) 110ºH × 96ºV 96ºH × 96ºV
Optical Adjustments Continuous IPD, stepped eye-relief (built in) Stepped IPD, stepped eye-relief (via included spacer)
IPD Adjustment Range 53–75mm 58mm, 63mm, 68mm
Processor Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 Snapdragon XR2
RAM 8GB 6GB
Storage 128GB, 512GB 128GB, 256GB
Connectors USB-C, contact pads for optional dock charging USB-C
Weight 515g 503g
Battery Life 1.5-3 hours 2–3 hours
Headset Tracking Inside-out (no external beacons) Inside-out (no external beacons)
Controller Tracking Headset-tracked (headset line-of-sight needed) Headset-tracked (headset line-of-sight needed)
Expression Tracking none none
On-board cameras 6x external (18ppd RGB sensors 2x) 4x external
Input Touch Plus (AA battery 1x), hand-tracking, voice Touch v3 (AA battery 1x), hand-tracking, voice
Audio In-headstrap speakers, 3.5mm aux output In-headstrap speakers, 3.5mm aux output
Microphone Yes Yes
Pass-through view Yes (color) Yes (B&W)
MSRP $500 (128GB), $650 (512GB) $300 (128GB), $350 (256GB)

Meta’s Best-selling VR Headset Drops to $250 in Early Holiday Deal Read More »

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Quest is Getting a Flurry of New Games in the Next Month and a Half

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Better keep a tight grip on that wallet—the next month and a half will see the launch of a flurry of anticipated games for Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3 (and a few which are also coming to PSVR 2 and PC VR). Here’s what should be on your radar.

If you’ve been looking for something new to play, you’re about to have some decisions to make. Here’s a chronological breakdown of new Quest games coming before the end of 2023, starting with five that are already available but shouldn’t be missed!

Dungeons of Eternity – Available Now ($30)

From the Developer:

Hack-n-slash takes on a new meaning in VR: swing swords, throw axes, use bows, wield magic staffs, and more to make it out alive. With the power of VR, you will be immersed in a fantasy adventure like no other.

COOP OR SOLO PLAY Band together for an unforgettable cooperative experience with up to 3 players, or delve into the dungeons yourself.

EVER-CHANGING DUNGEONS Explore randomly-generated dungeons across multiple game modes and realms – no dungeon run is the same. A vast array of chambers await, from combat arenas, puzzle, and trap rooms, secret chambers, and more.

FEEL THE DUNGEONS Hack-n-slash like never before with a visceral physics-based combat system and realistic interactions with the game world.

ENDLESS ARSENAL Every weapon is randomly generated, offering nearly endless loot within the dungeons. You will discover many weapon types, including swords, bows, magic staffs, and more.

PLAY YOUR WAY Craft your playstyle and appearance through loadouts, upgrades, and a diverse set of character customization options.

The 7th Guest VR – Available Now ($30)

From the Developer:

The classic game that chilled you to the bone in the 90s has been brought back to life, with cutting-edge VR technology that delivers an atmospheric story like no other.

Six guests have been welcomed to the foreboding mansion. But something sinister is at play. The wealthy recluse and toymaker, Henry Stauf, hides in the shadows, and there is a dark power here, shrouded in mysteries. Who is the 7th Guest? What does Henry want with them? And who will live to tell the tale?

As you explore the eerie mansion, the puzzles become increasingly challenging, and there are dangers lurking around every corner, with every shadow, creak, and flicker of light adding to the haunting tension.

Unlock new rooms and uncover hidden secrets, all while trying to keep your wits about you against the eerie horrors. The 7th Guest VR is the ultimate adventure for fans of mystery-puzzle games and those seeking a new and terrifying VR experience.

Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord – Available Now ($35)

Also on PSVR 2

From the Developer:

Team up with friends and become a Ghostbuster in this made-for-VR adventure.

Immerse yourself in the thrills and fun of bustin’ ghosts like never before on the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3. Quash a Mini-Pufts invasion in your own home in the exclusive game mode, Mini-Puft Mayhem – featuring the Meta Quest 3’s unique mixed reality capabilities.

Out of Scale: A Kurzgesagt Adventure – Available Now ($15)

From the Developer:

In this VR app, you explore the worlds within worlds around you from inside your mobile scale lab as you travel to five levels of scale – molecular, bacterial, insect, human, and mountain. You’re joined by STEVE, the lab’s AI assistant, who shows you the different effects of biology, physics, and chemistry in each realm. Together you’ll scan objects, find hidden ducks, and observe science in action. You will complete four missions around giant ants, a tardigrade, a protist, and giant fungi that have accidentally been scaled up by using scientific concepts and scaling objects up and down yourself.

In addition to the base game, there is a Multiplayer Theater where players can invite their friends and watch Kurzgesagt videos together in VR. There’s also a Mixed Reality Sandbox where players can bring objects and creatures they’ve unlocked in the game into their home.

Journey to Foundation – Available Now ($40)

Also on PSVR 2

From the Developer:

It’s been almost two centuries since Hari Seldon predicted the fall of the Galactic Empire and forged a Foundation to mitigate the chaos and destruction that would come.

You are an agent with the Commission of Public Safety, a shadowy organization that maintains order in the Galactic Empire. What begins as a mission to investigate deserters in the Periphery quickly becomes a battle for control of all humanity. With your superior officer in your ear, and the esteemed governor’s daughter at your side, you must journey to Foundation.

In this immersive roleplaying adventure, you decide who will rise and what is lost to the fires of anarchy. Disguise, hack, and blast your way through Asimov’s groundbreaking sci-fi universe using the most advanced tools the Galactic Empire has to offer.

The Foglands – October 31st ($35)

Also on PSVR 2 and PC VR

From the Developer:

The Foglands is an atmospheric 3D roguelike shooter where you’ll discover new paths, and uncover old secrets. Run into the unknown, fight monsters, scavenge loot, and try to make it back before you are swallowed by the Fog.

EXPLORE THE FOGLANDS – Play as a Runner, heroes of a sparse community living underground. Adventure from the wrecks of long-dead technology to the undiscovered depths where you’ll run, jump, sneak, and fight your way through the Fog.

ROWDY BAR-FIGHT ACTION – In a mysterious, fog-infested world, dangerous forces lurk in the shadows. Punch, throw, shoot, and smash through each run as you go toe-to-toe with strange, malevolent monsters and vicious, roving factions.

A MYSTERIOUS TALE – A great creature reawakens in the Fog. With the survival of your community in peril, you must strike a deal with a mysterious stranger in this sci-fi-western-horror story. Follow the network of tunnels to learn the long-buried truth and remember, sometimes the best way to move forward… is to look back.

SCAVENGE AND GROW – Scavenge precious items, unearth hidden secrets, and collect powerful abilities that can mean the difference between victory and death

Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice – November 2nd ($30)

Also on PSVR 2

From the Developer:

Become a vampire. Strike from the darkness and drink the blood of your prey. Use stealth, persuasion, and an arsenal of upgradable abilities to sneak past enemies undetected or punish the guilty in the seedy backstreets of Venice.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice is an open-ended, narrative Adventure RPG set in the World of Darkness universe. You have the power to strike fear into the hearts of criminals as an untraceable shadow, picking off targets one-by-one.

STEALTH IS YOUR WEAPON

Shadows are your ally. Take to the rooftops and seek new paths away from enemy eyes. Use Shadow Traps to snatch up unsuspecting prey and drag them into Oblivion. Activate Cloak of Shadows and slip unseen through enemy defenses. In Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice, stealth is your weapon.

BECOME A POWERFUL VAMPIRE

Punish the guilty with brutal abilities. Launch yourself towards opponents with immense force or boil their insides with Cauldron of Blood. Sink your fangs into their necks to stock up on blood. Load your crossbow with special bolts to kill, distract or knock out guards from afar. Dish out Justice with a vengeance

LEVEL UP AND EXPLORE

The dark skies of Venice provide ample opportunity to level up powers and build a character suited to your playstyle. Tackle side-missions to earn more experience. Convince NPCs to aid your quest, solve puzzles, uncover collectibles and test yourself with optional tasks in each mission.

Stride Fates – November 9th ($30)

Also on PC VR

From the Developer:

Enhancing everything players love about the freerunning nature of STRIDE, the full-fledged sequel ‘Fates’ pushes the parkour action formula even further with new gameplay and a story-driven campaign.

MEET YOUR FATE

Raised in the slums of dystopian Airon City, at the very bottom of the food chain, you got a golden ticket out.

To survive and climb the ladder in elite police forces of SkyChase, you will have to deal with power shifts in gangs, dirty family feuds, corporate secrets, forbidden tech and much more. Your fate is bound with other motley characters in this story. Will you accept the destiny or fight against it?

FEEL LIKE A PARKOUR SPEC-OPS OFFICER

  • Climb buildings, vault through windows, and slide down cables with lightning speed.
  • Explore open-world locations under the watch of snipers and drones.
  • Feel the thrill of close-quarters combat with tactical shooter gameplay.
  • Use your gadgets and hacking skills to outwit thugs and corporates.

Demeo Battles – November 9th ($20)

Also on PC VR

From the Developer:

Welcome to the arena! Demeo Battles is a competitive turn-based strategy game for 1-4 players, featuring:

Turn-based Tactics – Battle your opponents in dungeons, forests and more as you square off against your enemies in grid-based action combat across 10 maps tailored for intense PvP competition — but don’t fall victim to “The Burn”

Monstrous Minions – Assemble an army of chaotic critters to fight alongside you — from rats and goblins to cave trolls to giant slimes — a rotating cast of 37 creatures to pick from at launch, all with a mind of their own!

Heroic Teamwork – Bring two champions to the battle in every match and leverage their synergies; control both heroes directly or partner up with another player to defeat competitors cooperatively

Play Your Way – Choose a champion to match your play style from 7 classes — hunter, sorcerer, assassin, guardian, bard, warlock or barbarian — to unleash magic, melee mayhem and more, with 89 possible cards to pick from when raining fury down on your opponents

Bespoke Builds – Spend your coins wisely when you enter the arena to build a unique loadout in every game, choosing from a randomized selection of action cards and monsters

Speedy Strategy – Challenge yourself to battle after battle with average matches lasting just under 20 minutes

Cross-Play – Play with your friends across all supported devices

Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR – November 16th ($40)

From the Developer:

Embody three legendary Assassins in this all-new full-length Assassin’s Creed action-adventure game. Experience firsthand the thrill of parkour, the rush of combat, and the tension of stealth as you become the Assassin like never before. Uncover new memories from Ezio Auditore, Kassandra, and Connor as you work to stop Abstergo from gaining the power to manipulate people’s beliefs.

PARKOUR: Feel the exhilaration of parkouring freely across expansive open maps. Explore Renaissance Italy, Ancient Greece, and Colonial America. Immerse yourself in history as you engage with NPCs and interact with historical figures like Leonardo Da Vinci.

COMBAT: Deploy your Hidden Blade with a flick of your wrist. Use your hands to block, parry, counterattack, and duel a variety of enemies. Immerse yourself in the action with weapons including bow and arrows, swords, throwing knives, the tomahawk, the crossbow, the Hidden Blade, and bombs, all of which attach to your full-body avatar.

STEALTH: Sneak up on a target from behind or surprise them with an air assassination. Evade enemies by blending into a crowd or distract them with objects in the environment.

Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR features all of the iconic gameplay from the series, including the dazzling Leap of Faith. You will become the Assassin, choosing how to achieve your missions as you sneak, traverse, and fight your way through open maps in an unforgettable campaign.

Ironstrike – November 16th ($20)

From the Developer:

Ironstrike is a co-op VR fantasy roguelike combat game developed by E McNeill. Players can go at it alone or party up with friends with a wide array of character classes to choose from to dispatch waves of challenging enemies. Utilize a wide array of weapons as a ranger or become an arcane mage to use magical spells to buff teammates or compromise opponents.

Arashi: Castles of Sin – Final Cut – December 5th

Also on PSVR 2 and PC VR

From the Developer:

Take on the role of the deadly assassin Kenshiro as you travel across feudal Japan to defeat the Six Oni of Iga, a bandit group spreading chaos across the land. Through a wide variety of weapons, tools, and techniques, you’ll infiltrate conquered castles and outwit your enemies as you hunt down each Oni.

With the innovations of Next-Gen VR hardware, immerse yourself in the ultimate shinobi fantasy. Leap from rooftop to rooftop, hide in shadows and perform lethal sneak attacks, survive impossible odds in sword combat, and vanish from the scene just as quickly as you arrived. Heightened graphical fidelity and carefully tuned controls make each new battle more engaging than the last.

Each castle you conquer is capped off with an exciting battle against one of the Six Oni. Each bandit leader is a unique combatant both in style, personality, and abilities, putting your mastery of the sword to the test. Prove yourself against these fearsome foes as you hone your skills with each new encounter.

Your mission for justice is not one you take alone. With your canine companion Haru by your side, praised for her advanced AI and usefulness, Arashi brings a unique sense of companionship not found in other VR titles.

Customize your arsenal as you see fit before each mission with blades, grenades, mines, arrows, blowguns, pistols, and more! Whether you want to make it through unscathed and unseen, or want to face your enemies head-on with style, your choices are always supported.

Asgard’s Wrath 2 – December 15th ($60)

From the Developer:

Awaken, Cosmic Guardian – The fate of reality lies in your hands. Travel across vast realms inhabited by the gods in pursuit of the Trickster God Loki, who threatens to undo the threads of the universe. It’s up to you to battle gods and monsters alike as you take on one of the biggest and most epic scale Action RPGs ever experienced in VR.

Alongside legendary Egyptian gods, you’ll fight deadly warriors and awe-inspiring mythical creatures through physics-based, visceral combat with unique weapons and playstyles. Possess unique mortal heroes and convert loyal animals into your own warrior followers as you explore a massive, free-roaming and living world and solve mind-bending god-scale puzzles.

What Didn’t Make it in 2023

While that’s a solid lineup before the end of the year, two big Quest games that we hoped to see this year won’t be out before the New Year.

Image courtesy Skydance Interactive

First is the highly anticipated Behemoth from Skydance Interactive, the developer behind the Walking Dead VR games. Original slated for a 2023 release date, the studio recently announced a major delay for the game until 2024. Also coming to PSVR 2 and PC VR.

Image courtesy Rockstar Games

And last but not least is GTA: San Andreas VR. Announced way back in 2021, we figured the game would be set for release not later than the launch of Quest 3… but with no release date set, it’s almost certainly not going to land in 2023. And with no recent updates on the game, we might not ever see it.

Quest is Getting a Flurry of New Games in the Next Month and a Half Read More »

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Data Suggests Most Expensive Quest 3 is More Popular Than Expected

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Quest 3 just began shipping last week and headsets are rapidly arriving in the hands of eager buyers. While the 128GB model appears to be in strong supply, the more expensive 512GB model might be more popular than Meta expected.

We checked stock availability for direct purchases from Meta.com for Quest 3 (128GB) and Quest 3 (512GB) across all regions where the headsets are sold. The latest shows that most regions estimate delivery of the 128GB model within one week, but the 512GB model won’t deliver for a week or more in most regions:

That seems surprising considering that Quest 3 is the company’s most expensive Quest headset yet, priced at $500 for the 128GB model and going up to $650 for the 512GB model.

There’s a few possible explanations for the current stock situation:

  • Meta underestimated demand for the 512GB model
  • Meta anticipated the demand for the 512GB model and set aside more of the initial inventory for third-party retailers
  • For some manufacturing reason, Meta couldn’t build up as much initial stock of the 512GB model, or can’t manufacture them as quickly

Of course, Quest 3 is also available in many other stores, like Amazon, Best Buy, and other regional retailers, each of which have different levels of stock.

We’ll continue to monitor the stock of both Quest 3 models to understand more about how they’re selling.

Data Suggests Most Expensive Quest 3 is More Popular Than Expected Read More »

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Quest 3 Teardown Shows Just How Slim the Headset Really Is

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Less than a week since launch, Quest 3 has already gotten the full iFixit teardown treatment, showing off just how slim (and seemingly difficult to repair) the headset really is. 

iFixit’s Shahram Mokhtari pried apart Quest 3, revealing the innards of Meta’s new $500 mixed reality standalone. The short of it: it’s pretty complicated to dismantle and there aren’t any repair parts as such, getting a [4/10] repairability score in Mokhtari’s video (linked below).

Getting past the user-removable bits is simple enough. Take off the headstrap and pop out the facial interface, as anyone would do to install either aftermarket or first-party accessories. Removing the rubberized face plate, which isn’t meant to be user-removable, proved challenging though, as Mokhtari snapped an internal clip with his plastic spudger, and by the looks of it, busted the top structural bridge of the face plate too.

Image courtesy iFixit

That’s some pretty thin plastic—forgivable enough since Meta likely designed the headset to make weight savings wherever possible. Still, something to watch out for.

While it’s a much thinner package than Quest 2—about 40% thinner when you don’t consider the facial interface—the headset’s new slim design is largely owed to its inclusion of pancake lenses. The inclusion of these new lenses, which use polarization-based reflection to fold the optic path into a small space, doesn’t impede the teardown process any more than larger Fresnel lenses might.

Here’s a 360 look at the headset under X-ray, courtesy Creative Electron, showing off just how tightly everything is sandwiched together:

–

Things aren’t glued down thankfully, although the headset does feature a ton of screws—more than 50 by Mokhtari’s reckoning, many of which you’ll need to contend with to get to the battery.

Screws aplenty | Image courtesy iFixit, Creative Electron

Quest 3’s battery is sandwiched between the display and mainboard; while keeping the battery close to the user’s center of gravity puts less strain on the neck, it requires you to dig deep into the headset’s guts. One big benefit: Quest 3’s battery is pretty normal, unlike Quest Pro’s unique curved, back-mounted battery.

Quest Pro battery (left) and Quest 3 battery (right) | Image courtesy iFixit

Replacing the battery is technically possible, although there aren’t any official replacement parts. Getting there is apparently a bit more complicated than replacing a battery on a modern smartphone, although thankfully you won’t need heat guns or a host of dedicated tools to do so. Still, it appears to between the difficulty of replacing the battery of Quest 2 (harder) and Quest Pro (easier).

Mokhtari’s teardown delves into more of Quest 3’s pros and cons, such as the cost saving benefits of not including eye-tracking, and providing a cheaper IR-tracked Touch Plus controller over Quest Pro’s inside-out tracked Touch Pro controller. Another curiosity: Quest 3’s depth sensor fits into the blank spot where it would have otherwise gone in Quest Pro had they not scrapped the sensor right before production.

Catch the full eight-minute video below, which critically isn’t a repair guide as such. We’re hoping to see that posted on iFixit fairly soon, so stay tuned.

Quest 3 Teardown Shows Just How Slim the Headset Really Is Read More »

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The Best Meta Quest 3 Accessories & Why You’ll Want Them

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If you can get your hands on a Quest 3, you’ve got everything you need right in the box to start playing some of the best VR games out there. Once you’ve got a few hours under your belt though, you’ll probably notice a few things that definitely need improving, many of which can thankfully be solved with a few key aftermarket accessories.

Upgrade Your Headstrap

Meta has done it again; like Quest 2, they’ve included a cheap, floppy strap that you’ll very likely want to replace soon after popping out of your first long playsession. For many, the stock strap just doesn’t do a good enough job of distributing weight evenly and comfortably on the user’s head. Some users report the stock Quest 3 straps even cut into the base of their ears a bit too, which is bound be bothersome long-term.

It’s difficult to recommend Meta’s Quest 3 straps out of the gate: Elite Strap ($70) and Elite Strap With Battery ($130), the latter of which includes an integrated 2,330mAh battery promising two hours of extra gameplay.

Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery | Photo by Road to VR

Don’t get us wrong, they’re both comfortable and great out of the box. Meta’s one-year warranty will also likely let you exchange them too if/when they break. Beyond that, you’re at the mercy of Zuckerberg though; Meta doesn’t have a great track record with the build quality of its aftermarket headstraps, and until we put ours through its paces and we’re reasonably convinced it won’t snap in half like the first-party Quest 2 straps were prone to do, well, buyer beware.

Respected third-party accessory makers, such as Bobo VR and Kiwi Design, are slated to have their own versions soon. If you’re looking for something right this second though, a fairly inexpensive solution from MOJOXR ($25) not only has great reviews, but also supports both Quest 3 and Quest 2 thanks to an included adapter.

Provided you can 3D print your own adapter though, you may be able to use any Quest 2 aftermarket strap on the market, which should give you a little more choice in the meantime.

VR Cover or Spare Facepad

The stock facial interface on Quest 3 is actually a big improvement over the Quest 2 version. Out of the gate, its fabric weave feels better than having some sort of clammy high-density foam straight on your undoubtably greasy face, although it isn’t nearly as cleanable as, say, a silicone or removable fabric cover.

Quest 3 Silicon Facial Interface | Image courtesy Meta

Silicone covers are great for workouts since you can easily wipe them down before or after a session. Meta offers its own Quest 3 silicone facial interface ($40), which completely replaces the stock facepad. The benefit here is you can quickly swap out the stock pad when you’re done playing casual games, and swap in the silicone pad for when you’re ready for some Les Mills Body Combat, Supernatural, Beat Saber, Pistol Whip—whatever gets your heart pumping.

Realistically speaking though, you probably don’t need to shell out the better part of 50 bucks to get the job done. There are a number of third-party silicone covers on Amazon which fit right over the stock facepad, ranging from $10 to $15, and offer equal protection from face grime.

As for fabric, the trusted third-party creator VR Cover has its own machine washable fabric cover too ($30) in case you want to keep it a little more cosy than the impenetrable seal of a silicone cover. Alternatively, you can also get full facepad replacements from Meta which comes with matching floppy headstraps in Elemental Blue and Blood Orange ($50).

Make Charging Easier

Quest 3 has charging pins at the bottom of the face plate, meaning we’re sure to see a host of third-party charging docks and accessories come to market soon enough.

Quest 3 Charging Dock | Image courtesy Meta

For now, there’s really only one real solution though: Meta’s official Quest 3 charging dock ($130). While this also charges your Touch Plus controllers, keep in mind this won’t charge up any sort of external battery strap.

Always the old reliable: the second option could be to get magnetic USB-C connector cables, which allow you to attach and detach special charging cables to your headset without having to wear out the charging port. Many on Amazon can even do fast charging, although getting one with data transfer is hit and miss. Even if you could, you wouldn’t want to use Meta Link with a magnetic cable because of how easily it can detach.

Carrying Cases

Meta’s official Quest 3 carrying case ($70) is certainly a good option to keeping your Quest 3 prim and proper—if you don’t mind the hefty price tag, that is.

Quest 3 Carrying Case | Image courtesy Meta

There are definitely more cost-effective ways to spend 70 bucks though, considering Quest 3 is smaller and will most definitely fit in the carrying cases originally designed for Quest 2; there are a ton on Amazon, with many hovering under the $25 mark.

There’s bound to be an explosion of Quest 3-specific cases in the coming months, although it’s still too early to tell. Third-parties have created a ton of different case styles over the years for Quest 2, ranging from standard copycats of Meta’s own to official case to ones that even double as charging docks. More of those, please.

Long USB-C Cables for Wired PC Play

Whether you’re just looking for a way to charge during gameplay, or you want to connect Quest 3 to your computer via Meta Link to use it as a PC VR headset, you’ll need a USB-C cable long enough to get the job done.

Note: to play PC VR games via Link, you’ll need a VR-ready PC.

Official Oculus Link Cable | Image courtesy Oculus

By now, you know the drill: ‘Meta first, then the actual option you’ll actually want to buy’. Meta’s Link Cable ($80) is a thin fiber-optic cable that spans 16 feet (5m). It’s a great cable since it’s very thin and fairly light at 7.9oz (224g).

That said, any 3.0 USB-C cable will work, and there are tons on Amazon that will do the job just as well at a quarter of the price. Pick one, and you’re playing Half-Life: Alyx (2020) in no time.

Wi-Fi Router for Wirelessly PC VR Games

We know who you are. You’re more of a “low contact” sort of person. You exclusively charge all of your devices wirelessly, only talk to friends through Discord, and prefer courteous bows from across the room over shaking hands. Your ‘hover over public toilets’ game is also suitably on-lock. Well, you’ll be happy to know you can play PC VR games cable-free too thanks to Air Link.

You should be able to game easily enough using Air Link on that old 2.4GHz router, although if you’re looking to get the most out of Air Link-ing your headset to a VR-ready PC for a host of PC VR games, it might be time to upgrade to a dual-band router, as Meta recommends connecting to Wi-Fi via 5GHz band (AC or AX).

Note: Virtual Desktop developer Guy Godin has reported an early issue with Quest 3 and how it connects over Wi-Fi. For now, it appears the headset has network performance issues with routers running in Wi-Fi 5 (AC) mode. The issue disappears when switching the router to Wi-Fi 6 (AX) or Wi-Fi 6e (AXE) mode.

Image courtesy D-Link

You can find dual-band Wi-Fi routers for as low as $40 on Amazon, however the more you pay, generally the better range you get. You can also get them for significantly cheaper if you don’t mind refurbished units.

Then there’s dedicated dongles, such as the D-Link Airplay ($100), which creates a dedicated Wi-Fi network between your Quest headset and your PC, skipping the whole Wi-Fi router tango entirely. Whatever the case, Meta recommends having your PC connected to a router or access point via ethernet cable, and in the same room as the headset or in line of sight. The better the connection, the lower the latency involved.

Other Accessories to Consider

Did we miss any big ones? What are your favorite Quest 3 accessories? Let us know in the comments below!

The Best Meta Quest 3 Accessories & Why You’ll Want Them Read More »

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Quest 3 Review – A Great Headset Waiting to Reach Its Potential

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Following Quest 2 almost three years to the day, Quest 3 is finally here. Meta continues its trend of building some of the best VR hardware out there, but it will be some time yet before the headset’s potential is fully revealed. Read on for our full Quest 3 review.

I wanted to start this review saying that Quest 3 feels like a real next-gen headset. And while that’s certainly true when it comes to hardware, it’ll be a little while yet before the software reaches a point that it becomes obvious to everyone. Although it might not feel like it right out of the gate, even with the added price (starting at $500 vs. Quest 2 at $300), I’m certain the benefits will feel worth it in the end.

Quest 3’s hardware is impressive, and a much larger improvement than we saw from Quest 1 to Quest 2. For the most part, you’re getting a better and cheaper Quest Pro, minus eye-tracking and face-tracking. And to put it clearly, even if Quest Pro and Quest 3 were the same price, I’d pick Quest 3.

Photo by Road to VR

Before we dive in, here’s a look at Quest 3’s specs for reference:

Resolution

2,064 × 2,208 (4.5MP) per-eye, LCD (2x)
Refresh Rate

90Hz, 120Hz (experimental)
Optics

Pancake non-Fresnel
Field-of-view (claimed) 110ºH × 96ºV
Optical Adjustments

Continuous IPD, stepped eye-relief (built in)
IPD Adjustment Range 53–75mm
Processor

Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
RAM 8GB
Storage 128GB, 512GB
Connectors

USB-C, contact pads for optional dock charging
Weight 515g
Battery Life 1.5-3 hours
Headset Tracking

Inside-out (no external beacons)
Controller Tracking

Headset-tracked (headset line-of-sight needed)
Expression Tracking none
Eye Tracking none
On-board cameras 6x external (18ppd RGB sensors 2x)
Input

Touch Plus (AA battery 1x), hand-tracking, voice
Audio

In-headstrap speakers, 3.5mm aux output
Microphone Yes
Pass-through view Yes (color)
MSRP

$500 (128GB), $650 (512GB)

Hardware

Even if the software isn’t fully tapping the headset’s potential yet, Meta has packed a lot of value into the Quest 3 hardware.

Lenses

Photo by Road to VR

First, and perhaps most importantly, the lenses on Quest 3 are a generational improvement over Quest 2 and other headsets of the Fresnel-era. They aren’t just more compact and sharper, they also offer a noticeably wider field-of-view and have an unmatched sweet spot that extends nearly across the entire lens. That means even when you aren’t looking directly through the center of the lens, the world is still sharp. While Quest 3’s field-of-view is also objectively larger than Quest 2, the expanded sweet spot helps amplify that improvement because you can look around the scene more naturally with your eyes and less with your head.

Glare is another place that headsets often struggle, and there we also see a huge improvement with the Quest 3 lenses. Gone are the painfully obvious god-rays that you could even see in the headset’s main menu. Now only subtle glare is visible even in scenes with extreme contrast.

Resolution and Clarity

Quest 3 doesn’t have massively higher than Quest 2, but the combination of about 30% more pixels—3.5MP per-eye (1,832 × 1,920) vs. 4.5MP per-eye (2,064 × 2,208)—a much larger sweet spot, and a huge reduction in glare makes for a headset with significantly improved clarity. Other display vitals like persistence blur, chromatic aberration, pupil swim, mura, and ghosting are all top-of-class as well. And despite the increased sharpness of the lenses, there’s still functionally no screen-door effect.

Here’s a look at the resolving power of Quest 3 compared to some other headsets:

Headset Snellen Acuity Test
Quest 3 20/40
Quest Pro 20/40
Quest 2 20/50
Bigscreen Beyond 20/30
Valve Index 20/50

While Quest 3 and Quest Pro score the same here in terms of resolving power, the Snellen test lacks precision; I can say for sure the Quest 3 looks a bit sharper than Quest Pro, but not enough to get it into the next Snellen tier.

While the optics of Quest 3 are also more compact than most, the form-factor isn’t radically different than Quest 2. The slightly more central center-of-gravity makes the headset feel a little less noticeable during fast head rotations, but on the whole the visual improvements are much more significant than ergonomic.

Ergonomics

Photo by Road to VR

Ergonomics feels like one of just a few places where Quest 3 doesn’t see many meaningful improvements. Even though it’s a little more compact, it weighs about the same as Quest 2, and its included soft strap is just as awful. So my recommendation remains: get an aftermarket strap for Quest 3 on day one (and with a battery if you know you’re going to use the headset often). Meta’s official Elite Strap and Elite Strap with Battery are an easy choice but you can find options of equal comfort that are more affordable from third-parties. FYI: the Elite Straps are not forward or backward compatible between Quest 2 and 3.

While the form-factor of the headset haven’t really improved, it’s ability to adapt to each user certainly has. Quest 3 is the most adaptable Meta headset to date, offering both continuous IPD (distance between the eyes) and notched eye-relief (distance from eye to lens) adjustments. This means that more people can dial in a good fit for the headset, giving them the best visual comfort and quality.

I was about to write “to my surprise…”—but actually this doesn’t surprise me at this point given Meta’s MO—the setup of Quest 3 either didn’t walk me through adjusting either of these settings or did so in such a nonchalant way that I didn’t even notice. Most new users will not only not know what IPD or eye-relief really does for them, but also struggle to pick their own best setting. There should definitely be clear guidance and helpful calibration.

The dial on the bottom of Quest 3 makes it easy to adjust the IPD, but the eye-relief mechanism is rather clunky. You have to push both buttons on the inside of the facepad at the same time and kind of also pull it out or push it forward. It works but I found it to be incredibly iffy.

Field-of-View

In any case, I’m happy to report that eye-relief on Quest 3 is more than just a buffer for glasses. Moving to the closest setting gave me a notably wider field-of-view than Quest 2. Here’s a look at the Quest 3 FoV:

Personal Measurements – 64mm IPD

(no glasses, measured with TestHMD 1.2)

Absolute min eye-relief (facepad removed) Min designed eye-relief Comfortable eye-relief Max eye-relief
HFOV 106° 104° 100° 86°
VFOV 93° 93° 89° 79°

And here’s how it stacks up to some other headsets:

Personal Measurements – 64mm IPD

(minimum-designed eye-relief, no glasses, measured with TestHMD 1.2)

Quest 3 Quest Pro Quest 2 Bigscreen Beyond Valve Index
HFOV 104° 94° 90° 98° 106°
VFOV 93° 87° 92° 90° 106°

Audio

Another meaningful improvement for Quest 3 is improved built-in audio. While on Quest 2 I always felt like I needed to have the headset at full volume (and even then the audio quality felt like a compromise), Quest 3 gets both a volume and quality boost. Now I don’t feel like every app needs to be at 100% volume. And while I’d still love better quality and spatialization from the built-in audio, Quest 3’s audio finally feels sufficient rather than an unfortunate compromise.

Controllers

Photo by Road to VR

Quest 3’s new Touch Plus controllers so far feel like they work just as well as Quest 2 controllers, but with better haptics and an improved form-factor thanks to the removal of the ring. Quest 3 is also much faster to switch between hand-tracking and controller input when you set the controllers down or pick them up.

Processor

The last major change is the new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip that powers Quest 3. While ‘XR2 Gen 1’ vs. ‘XR2 Gen 2’ might not sound like a big change, the difference is significant. The new chip has 2.6x the graphical horsepower of the prior version, according to Meta. That’s a leap-and-a-half compared to the kind of chip-to-chip updates usually seen in smartphones. The CPU boost is more in line with what we’d typically expect; Meta says it’s 33% more powerful than Quest 2 at launch, alongside 30% more RAM.

Quest 3 is still essentially a smartphone in a headset in terms of computing power, so don’t expect it to match the best of what you see on PSVR 2 or PC VR, but there’s a ton of extra headroom for developers to work with.

Continue Reading on Page 2: Softwhere? »

Quest 3 Review – A Great Headset Waiting to Reach Its Potential Read More »

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Anticipated VR Adventure ‘Behemoth’ Delayed Until Late 2024

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Skydance Interactive, the studio behind The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, revealed their next VR game Behemoth is being delayed by a year, now slated to arrive on all major headsets in late 2024.

The studio confirmed the delay with UploadVR, also noting that the game now has a new name: Skydance’s Behemoth.

First revealed at Meta Connect 2022 this time last year, the upcoming VR adventure puts you in what the studio calls a “plague-ravished wasteland of a once glorious empire, where its inhabitants are driven mad and cities have fallen to ruin.” In the story-driven campaign, you combat towering giants called Behemoths.

Image courtesy Skydance Interactive

The studio also released a single work-in-progress image of the game (above), which more clearly shows one of the titular behemoths.

Behemoth is coming to Quest (presumably 2/3/Pro), PSVR 2, and PC VR sometime in late 2024. Meanwhile, we’re curious to see just how gameplay stacks up to the studio’s other skull-splitting adventure, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.

Check out the cinematic trailer below, released in late 2022.

Anticipated VR Adventure ‘Behemoth’ Delayed Until Late 2024 Read More »

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Former Oculus CTO “unconvinced” Mixed Reality Apps Will Sell Headsets (like Quest 3)

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Less than 48 hours after Meta fully unveiled Quest 3, John Carmack, legendary programmer and former CTO of Oculus, expressed doubts about mixed reality’s ability to increase headset sales.

Carmack departed Meta late last year, concluding what he called at the time his “decade in VR.” Still, it’s clear the key cohort in Oculus’ genesis story has a lot to offer when it comes to all things XR.

While Carmack doesn’t mention Quest 3 by name, it’s fairly clear he’s talking about Meta’s first consumer mixed reality headset, having tweeted a message of skepticism about the headset-selling power of MR apps:

“I remain unconvinced that mixed reality applications are any kind of an engine for increasing headset sales. High quality pass through is great, but I just don’t see applications built around integrating rendering with your real world environment as any kind of a killer app. I consider it interesting and challenging technology looking for a justification. The power of VR is to replace your environment with something much better, not to hang a virtual screen in your real environment. In all the highly produced videos demonstrating the MR future, the environments are always stylish, clean, and spacious. That is not representative of the real world user base. There is certainly some value in the efforts, but I have always thought there was much more low hanging fruit to be grabbed first.”

Photo by Road to VR

In a follow-up tweet, Carmack maintains he’s not criticizing the future of augmented reality, but rather how MR-capable VR headsets are being served up today:

“I am specifically talking about MR in todays [sic] VR headsets. The magical, all-day wear, full FOV AR headsets of people’s dreams would be great, but they don’t exist, even in labs with billions of dollars.”

Meta announced relatively few MR games for Quest 3 at its full unveiling last week, emphasizing that 50+ new VR games are coming by the end of this year, many of which will feature “MR features” of some sort.

Still, increasing headset sales to rival Quest 2 ought to be a big focus for Meta, as the company revealed at Connect 2023 that it had just broken $2 billion in Quest game and app revenue to date.

While impressive, it signifies a dramatic slowing of content sales over the past year, putting Quest 3 in the metaphorical hot seat to continue the upward trend if Meta intends on defending its $4 billion-per quarter investments in its Reality Labs XR division.

Former Oculus CTO “unconvinced” Mixed Reality Apps Will Sell Headsets (like Quest 3) Read More »