Meta, you've finally gone and done it: you've made me put on my Meta Quest 3 more than once a week — and I can't seem to put it down.
This comes from someone who was fully committed to making the most of the Meta Quest 2, but realized it ended up collecting dust instead. And I fully believe I wasn't the only one this happened to.
Despite this, Meta's Quest 3 headset pulled me in (after trading in my Quest 2 to get a neat discount). Honestly, I wasn't expecting much; I was still keen on better visuals, access to more upscaled games and apps, and a chance to try mixed-reality features with its impressive full-color passthrough.
What I got instead, however, was some of the best VR experiences I've had to date. Kicking off with the behemoth that is Asgard's Wrath 2, an action RPG with over 60 hours of amazing gameplay, then stepping into the visual delight that is Red Matter 2 and having a blast popping some zombie heads in Arizona Sunshine 2 (I realize that sequels may be the secret sauce here).
That was barely even this year, and it only got better as 2024 hit its stride. Not only has the arrival of the fantastic Meta Quest 3S made VR more accessible to the masses, but the amount of updates Meta has given has changed the way I view and use VR headsets. As yes, I even use my Quest 3 to watch movies while I cook.
I've always had a fiery passion for VR, with the hopes that VR gaming would finally kick off. This year, Meta Quest proved that it can deliver on these expectations, and there's even more to come down the line.
VR gaming at its finest
Remember when Meta announced GTA San Andreas VR? Well, that's been delayed indefinitely. In truth, I wasn't massively excited about this road the tech giant was going down. Sure, Resident Evil 4 VR on Quest was done masterfully, but were we just going to get VR remakes of the classics for the foreseeable future?
Thankfully, that is now far from the case. In 2024, we got several well-recognized IPs make their VR debut, and these were all-new, standalone titles. I'm talking about Vampire: The Masquerade - Justice, Assassin's Creed Nexus VR and recently, Metro Awakening.
These weren't just gimmicky instalments in each franchise. They were fleshed-out, unique VR experiences that added to their respective worlds. Were they a tad janky? Sure, but that's part of the fun with VR gaming, and it's refreshing to play familiar games in an all-new format.
Then, of course, the Meta-exclusive Batman: Arkham Shadow came along and blew me away. From the immersive story and thrilling like-to-like combat to the haunting atmosphere, this is a full-fledged Arkhamverse game picked straight from the original titles. It's not as if the aforementioned titles didn't do this either, but developers Camouflaj (the team behind Iron Man VR) did something special.
Best said by Tom's Guide's own entertainment editor, Rory Mellon: "Batman: Arkham Shadow doesn’t shrink down, or strip away key elements, of the traditional Arkham experience, it’s all here." That says a lot about how far Meta Quest has come, and I agree that Batman on Quest 3 delivered a knockout blow to PSVR 2.
The good news is the highbrow IPs don't stop there. Alien: Rogue Incursion is set to arrive on Meta Quest headsets in February 2025, and while it may be on other VR platforms first, I'm all for playing a VR action-horror game without being tethered to a PC or console.
I haven't even taken into account all the other VR games made for Meta Quest that aren't attached to existing franchises, including the ones that take advantage of the pure fun of virtual reality, such as Pistol Whip, Walkabout Mini Golf, Waltz of the Wizard and, my personal favorite, Smash Drums.
With the launch of the Meta Quest 3, the VR headset has seen a new wave of top-notch experiences, and that's just in VR gaming.
Broadening Meta Quest VR's horizon
To be clear, this isn't about Meta Horizon Worlds — a virtual sandbox that is a tad underwhelming. What really makes the Quest 3 and 3S shine is its full-color passthrough, which allowed me to expand how I use the headset.
You may have seen many of Meta's advertisements showcasing people using it while waiting in line, building furniture or on a flight. I thought it was a load of boloney, so I tried one of these many instances out myself.
After putting on the headset, leaving the controllers behind thanks to hand tracking and turning on a movie via the Amazon Prime Video app, I was ready to cook up a storm in my kitchen through the lens of my Meta Quest 3. Wouldn't you know it? It was a splendid experience that I continue to do to this day.
From the way hand tracking seamlessly lets me control what's happening on display to watching a whole movie while I chopped some onions, it was a new way of going about my usual routines. Granted, the Quest 3's battery life only lasts around two hours before needing a charge, so these experiences aren't long-lived.
Still, it shows how Meta Quest headsets can be used beyond gaming. While I have yet to take out my headset in public, Tom's Guide's Jason England tested the Quest 3's Travel mode on a 15-hour flight, and unfortunately for Apple, it put the Vison Pro to shame.
Thanks to continued updates from Meta, there are now more ways to fully utilize Meta's headsets in different ways. For instance, Quest 3 and 3S headsets can now connect to a Windows 11 PC, with Microsoft's Mixed Reality Link app allowing up to three virtual displays so you can work, watch and play away on your PC through a virtual reality lens.
Plenty more on its way
It may have slipped under the radar, but it's clear Meta has steered VR headsets down the right path over the past year. After putting on my Quest 3 time after time, whether it be for VR gaming, watching shows as I do everyday tasks or checking out random events like seeing Sabrina Carpenter: A VR Concert (why not?), I'm glad to see Meta pull away from other ventures, like its unfortunate Meta Quest Pro.
I'm excited to see what's ahead, and it's already looking up. In case you missed it, James Cameron is partnering up with Meta to bring his Lightstorm Vision to the headset. That's the same tech behind "Avatar," and we'll soon be seeing exclusive mixed-reality content around live sports and concerts, feature films and TV series featuring big-name IPs.
Based on what Cameron has worked on, that could mean anything from Terminator, Alien and Avatar franchises. That's great news for Meta Quest owners, but more impressively, the stereoscopic technology behind Lightstorm Vision will also be available to developers and other content creators on the platform.
It's already been an impressive year for Meta Quest VR, and we can already see its trajectory is heading in the right direction. How it will all play out? Who knows, but at the very least, I'm thrilled with where it is.
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