Meta could also be phasing out inventory of the Meta Quest 2 completely, signalling the top of an period for mainstream digital actuality.
The unique Quest headset has additionally simply taken one other main step in direction of the digital graveyard.
Meta’s on-line shops the world over have run out of inventory of the Quest 2, the one notable exception being the UK, which nonetheless has the 128GB variant out there for £199.
The Quest 2 headset has reportedly offered upwards of 20 million models up to now, making it comfy the preferred mainstream VR headset ever. Sony’s unique PlayStation VR has offered someplace within the area of 5 million models.
The extra necessary query for current Quest 2 homeowners is when precise assist for the 2020 headset will wind down.
In reality, this has already begun. A variety of video games have been introduced for Quest 3 however not Quest 2, together with Batman: Arkham Shadow and Alien: Rogue Incursion.
Meta is prone to put in place a reasonably extreme assist cut-off for the Quest 2 in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later, because it did with the predecessor. The primary Quest’s cessation of assist was introduced in 2023, and on June 29 2024 Meta introduced the top of {hardware} assist for the headset, on August 31.
“You’ll nonetheless be capable of obtain new apps and proceed utilizing your current apps so long as they’re supported by the developer. Nevertheless, if any safety vulnerabilities are found sooner or later, personal knowledge that’s straight saved on the gadget or accessible from it could be liable to compromise,” Meta mentioned in a press release.
These fashionable VR headsets certain aren’t just like the video games consoles of outdated. Nevertheless, the Quest 2 appears prone to get considerably longer lifetime assist than the unique Quest because of its enormous person base.
There’s a stability to be struck right here — Meta will need to nudge customers into upgrading to a more moderen Quest the place doable. However doing so too aggressively might successfully massively scale back the full addressable viewers.
This improve might not value as a lot as you may think too. Meta is predicted to launch a price range model of the Meta Quest 3 later this yr, the Quest 3S or Quest 3 Lite. It’s prone to improve the processor and add shade passthrough, with out together with all of the costly upgrades of the usual Quest 3.