It’s been almost four years since the original Oculus Quest was released, and Meta is ready to unplug its aging standalone VR headset. In an email sent on January 9, 2023, Meta leadership explained that the original Quest has been officially discontinued and will no longer receive software updates after January 1, 2024.
After that date, all existing games and apps that work on the original Oculus Quest should continue to work just fine after the Last Support Date. PC VR players who use the original quests solely for that purpose can continue to do so well into 2024 and beyond.
I got this email from Meta. Quest 1 day seems to be short 💀😥 pic.twitter.com/QV3EPBXIuRJanuary 9, 2023
However, after March 5, 2023, original Oculus Quest players will no longer be able to invite friends to their Meta Horizon Home environments or access other players’ environments.Given that this date is less than two months away, it can be considered a new major platform feature, but Meta is pushing it well ahead of Meta Quest 3, scheduled for October. It’s a little surprising to see (opens in new tab) release date.
Since Resident Evil 4 VR launched as the original Quest 2 exclusive, this article has been hanging on Quest’s wall for some time, as we’ve been seeing Quest 2 exclusive games for the past 15 months. Similarly, aggressively updated games like Population: One dropped support for the original Quest fairly recently due to the inability of the hardware to run more advanced games at acceptable frame rates.
While I wholeheartedly endorse the original Quest’s demise at this point (it’s old hardware running 2017 tech), removing social features before the Quest 3 arrives is Meta’s best option. I’m not sure it’s a smart move.
At that point, if Quest 1 users are still actively using their headsets and expect to continue using these social features that will soon be unavailable, Meta will offer only one option. I’m here. It’s an old Oculus Quest 2. The problem here is clear.they will spend at least $400 (opens in new tab) With a headset that will be snatched away in just a few months.
People regularly have this discussion about upgrades to smartphones and other electronic devices that are released annually, but the Quest is not an annual release product. are seldom replaced by
Meta seems to be starting to follow Nintendo’s twice-yearly hardware release model.
As it stands, it looks like the meta is starting to follow the Nintendo model for hardware releases. Historically, Nintendo has introduced new hardware almost every two years, and it’s clear that it has no problem paying consumers every time. This is very different from modern smartphone upgrade cycles where you can get hundreds of dollars off the best Android phone. (opens in new tab) By submitting your old one.
The reason they can avoid this aggressive hardware upgrade cycle is because Nintendo has been supporting their hardware for years. These two-year release cycles are often iterative hardware updates based on the base hardware design. Switch, Switch Lite and Switch OLED are three recent examples, with previous examples built on 3DS, 2DS, the original his DS and DSi models, and many others.
With that said, 2023 is the last year the original Quest should be supported.Like the Nintendo DS at launch, the original Quest has innovated game design and has a relatively poor visual experience. Despite this, it was an incredibly underpowered device that performed well commercially, as it offered an experience that no other gaming machine of its time could.
The original Quest doesn’t have the user base to keep up with new updates. The Quest 2 has sold about 20x more units to date.
But unlike the original DS, the original Quest doesn’t have the user base to keep up with new game updates and releases, and given its ongoing restructuring plans, it’s unlikely Meta will continue to support it. It doesn’t make much sense.
Right now, the Quest 2 sells for about 20x (or more) than the original Quest, and that gap is likely to grow as the years go by. On top of that, the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset that powers the Quest 2 is also found in modern headsets such as the Pico 4. (opens in new tab) Plus, it will continue to power upcoming headsets such as the HTC Vive XR Elite (opens in new tab).
So, despite rumors that the Quest 3’s processor will be at least 100% more powerful, support for the Meta Quest 2 isn’t ending any time soon.
At least I think you can bring the Quest 2 to GameStop and trade it for an upgrade whenever the Quest 3 is announced. Even if you don’t get most of the cost back, it’s not a half bad option.
Email to Meta Employees on January 9, 2023
We launched Quest 1 over four years ago. Thank you to the Quest 1 community for pushing VR forward. Looking ahead, we remain committed to supporting our community of Quest 1 users and will continue to support headsets with a few changes.
You can continue to use your Quest 1 headset and available apps.
We have no plans to ship new features to Quest 1.
We will continue to maintain critical bug fixes and security patches for system software through 2024.
Quest 1 users can no longer create or join parties.
Quest 1 users who currently have access to social features in Meta Horizon Home will no longer have access to these features on March 5, 2023. You cannot invite other users to your Home or visit other users’ Homes.
Get Meta Quest 2 before the original Oculus Quest is discontinued. It features excellent Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless PC VR gaming, high-definition displays with high refresh rates, and comfortable accessories for long sessions.
