As someone who writes about VR somewhat regularly, it’s not hard to believe that Meta may have made over a billion dollars in revenue last quarter thanks to the Quest 3. However, the reality remains that VR fans are still the few and the proud – big emphasis on ‘the few’.
I’ve been seeing the pieces move into place for mass VR adoption. The Quest 3 update in December, which added Xbox Game Pass to the platform, has been a literal game changer for me.
Instead of cluttering my PC’s SSDs with more games or attempting to play them on my little tablet, I have found a lot of value in using Game Pass on the Quest 3. While the games aren’t fully immersive like VR games, using the Quest 3 to play Game Pass is still one of the best ways to play, offering a screen the size of a movie theater and the benefit of a headset that blocks out the rest of the world.
For someone like me who tends to reach for their phone during every cutscene and lull in the action, the Quest 3 has helped me engage with the games on a deeper level. The Quest 3 owners have immensely benefited from having Xbox Game Pass on the platform, but it seems like the word hasn’t spread to console players.
The Quest 3 could serve as an alternative to purchasing an actual Xbox, and using the headset for Game Pass could be a gateway into VR games for those who haven’t tried it yet. There are reports of an Xbox branded-Quest headset on the way, a move that fits with Microsoft’s vision for the future.
This partnership could be integral in providing an incredible entry point for VR, offering a better Game Pass experience for Xbox fans, while also potentially expanding the range of available VR games. Microsoft’s recognition of the existing VR hardware being well equipped for the library of content available on Game Pass is a smart move.
It’s a step towards helping Xbox fans understand what a VR headset has to offer, and it could potentially lead to first-party games for the Quest. This approach differs from Sony’s bespoke headsets and could prove to be beneficial for the future.
