Meta has begun the process of scaling back support for the original Quest VR headset (opens in new tab)In an email to the owner, the social media company said users will no longer be able to create or join parties and will be unable to access Meta Horizon Home functionality starting March 5, 2023.
No new features will be added to the headset, but core Quest game and app functionality will not be affected. Meta will continue to roll out bug fixes and security updates for the headset throughout the year. TechRadar Notes (opens in new tab)However, the days of first-generation headsets are coming to an end, and it looks like users are being pushed to newer tech.
Quest didn’t live particularly long at the time of its official demise, but it didn’t stay in the spotlight either. It followed the improved Oculus Quest 2 (later Meta Quest 2) (opens in new tab)), and then the first generation headsets were discontinued.
Meta quickly took notice of the Quest 2, becoming the most popular VR headset among gamers, with a 41% market share in the Steam hardware survey. As a standalone headset, this doesn’t make up all the Quest 2s in use today, but despite the recent price increase, the headset has sold very well over the past few years. (opens in new tab).
Meta has confirmed that a next-gen VR headset to replace the Quest 2 is in development, with a release date set for this year. So if you’re a Quest owner looking for something new, you might want to wait for the next one before upgrading. As such, you don’t want to end up with a Quest 2 headset. However, for a more PC-centric experience, the Valve Index (opens in new tab) It is a recommended headset.
HTC releases new Vive XR Elite (opens in new tab) The headset aims to become a high-priced competitor to Meta’s offerings next month.
The point is, if you want to upgrade, you have many options. We’re used to seeing technology, especially phones, quickly thrown to the curb these days, and Meta’s VR headset is in a similar cycle. For example, the Oculus Go came out in 2018. Stopped receiving feature updates in 2020 (opens in new tab)software fixes and patches will end at the end of 2022.
