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Quest 3 is Meta’s First Headset with Customizable Color Options

From roadtovr

Meta Quest 3—already available for pre-order today starting at $500—is slated to arrive at doorsteps come October 10th. Like Quest 2, the company’s latest and greatest features an all-white design, but for the first time Meta is actually offering some color customization accessories that look to make this three-eyed headset even more flashy.

There seems to be a pattern here: Quest (2019) was black. Quest 2 (2020) was white. Quest Pro (2022) is black. Quest 3 is…white… again. Sort of.

Meta unveiled an avalanche of accessories for Quest 3, and among them is the $50 optional Quest 3 Facial Interface & Head Strap kit, which provides a replacement fabric facial interface and a color-matched, flexible head strap.

While you’ll probably have to head to aftermarket companies (please D-Brand, make it happen) to cover up the main bit, the Quest 3 Facial Interface & Head Strap kit can get you started out of the gate, available in ‘Elemental Blue’ and ‘Blood Orange’.

You can nab these two accessories and a host of others starting today, including things like a charging dock, the usual flavors of battery and non-battery Elite headstraps, an official carrying case, and replacement bits galore. Pre-orders launch today over on Meta’s website, but will also likely have availability through online retail partners Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Walmart.

– – — – –

Connect 2023 kicks off today, taking place September 27th and 28th at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters. There’s been a ton of news already, so make sure to follow along with Connect for all of the latest XR stuff from Meta.

Meta CTO Rebukes Report Claiming Cancellation of Quest Pro Line

From roadtovr

According to a recent report from The Information, Meta is allegedly spinning down Quest Pro alongside a broader move to cancel the future ‘Pro’ line of XR hardware altogether. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth says however, “don’t believe everything you read.”

Meta has reportedly stopped ordering new components for the Quest Pro from its suppliers, The Information maintains. While it’s thought Meta will continue selling its $1,000 Pro-branded mixed reality headset as long as there is enough stock, the report alleges the entire Pro line has been suspended, putting a second-generation Quest Pro distinctly out of the question.

Speaking in an Instagram Stories post yesterday, Bosworth rebukes the claim that a potential Quest Pro 2 has officially been cancelled for good, saying that his team is developing multiple prototypes in parallel for all of its projects. Notably, he doesn’t address whether it’s spinning down the current version of Quest Pro, however he implies that the report of Quest Pro 2’s demise was the result of a disgruntled employee whose project was cut.

Here’s Bosworth’s statement in full:

“I have to explain this every year. There is no Quest Pro 2 headset until we decide there is. What I mean by that is there are lots of prototype headsets—lots of them—all in development in parallel. Some of them, we say, “that’s not the right one,” and we shut it down. Some of them, we say, “that’s the right one,” and we spin it up. What you need to understand is, until it goes out the door, it doesn’t get the name. So, there might be a Quest Pro 2, there might not be. I’m not really telling you, but I will say don’t believe everything you read about what’s been stopped or started. A lot of times it comes from someone who’s unhappy their particular project got cut when there are other projects that did not get cut.”

Still, it’s clear there’s been some turbulence in how Quest Pro was handled from the get-go. Originally launched for $1,500 in October 2022, Meta decided only a few months later it would slash Quest Pro by $500, putting at its $1,000 price tag today. Meanwhile, Quest 2 has seen multiple price changes, ranging from $300 to $400 for the same 128GB variant.

Fluctuating prices aside, Quest Pro’s raison d’être has never really been clearly defined, as the company has nebulously pitched it to professionals as a would-be workstation. In practice, Quest Pro has been more of a developer kit for studios hoping to build consumer apps for the cheaper Quest 3, coming in Fall 2023 at $500. Meanwhile, Quest Pro users have reported a host of usability issues since launch, decidedly making it feel a little less ready for prime time than the company probably hoped.

Whatever the case, Quest Pro 2 would need a much clearer value proposition—provided whatever prototypes Meta has waiting in the wings also don’t also get cut.

Meta to Resume Quest Sales in Germany Following 2-year Antitrust Case

From roadtovr

Over the past two years Meta hasn’t sold its VR headsets in Germany due to an ongoing antitrust suit in that country that alleges the forced linkage between its virtual reality products and Facebook was an anticompetitive practice. Now it seems that’s about to change, as regulators have intimated that Meta may be free and clear soon to resume sales in Germany.

As reported by German VR publication MIXED, residents of Europe’s largest economy will soon be able to order Quest 2 and Quest Pro, which are both set to be available in-country by the end of this year.

After the sales halt in September 2020, Germany-based customers had to import Meta VR devices, which was typically done by buying from online retailers based in neighboring European countries, such as France’s Amazon.fr or Italy’s Amazon.it.

Resuming sales in Germany is directly linked to Meta’s backtracking on forced Facebook logins in August. Andreas Mundt, President of Germany’s Federal Cartel Office which is tasked with antitrust enforcement in that country, calls this a “welcome development,” although the process is still not concluded.

Here’s Mundt’s full statement, translated to English:

With Meta’s digital ecosystem created with a very large number of users, the company is the key player in the social media space. Meta also has a significant position in the growing VR market. If the use of VR glasses were only possible for Facebook or Instagram members, this could severely affect competition in both areas. Meta has responded to our concerns and offered a solution by setting up a separate Meta account to use the Quest glasses. Despite this welcome development, we are not concluding the process today. First of all, we want to continue to accompany the actual design of the options for users as well as topics of the merging and processing of user data from the various meta-services.

Although a Meta spokesperson tells MIXED that both Quest 2 and the new Quest Pro will be available in-country at some point this year, the exact date is unclear.

Thanks to our reader Blaexe for pointing out that it wasn’t a block, but an anticipatory halt on Meta’s part during the ongoing antitrust suit. We’ve changed wording to reflect this.

Immersive VR Film Takes You On A Supersonic Jet Ride

From vrscout

Experience what it is like to train like an astronaut.

Emmy award-winning immersive production studio Felix & Paul Studios, the team behind the hit VR series Space Explorers: An ISS Experience, is back with yet another jaw-dropping 360-degree experience for Meta Quest VR headsets.

Available now via the Meta Quest TV app, Supersonic Flight – Space Explorers: Special Feature puts you in the cockpit of a T-38 supersonic jet, the same aircraft used by NASA to train astronauts for spaceflight. The roughly nine-minute 3D 360-degree video takes you through a variety of scenic locations—from a sprawling canyon to a snowy mountain range—at ridiculously high speeds.

“For the past 60 years, NASA astronauts have trained for spaceflight flying T-38 supersonic jets,” states the official description. “Now is your chance to jump on board and fly faster than the speed of sound!”

Similar to the Space Explorers series, Supersonic Flight makes excellent use of 360-degree camera technology to immerse you in a one-of-a-kind experience that would normally be out of reach for the general public. 3D brings the cockpit and its array of controls to life, further absorbing you in the virtual flight.



That said, this experience may not be for everyone. The high-altitude joyride features several moments that could prove jarring to those prone to motion sickness. If you are able to stomach the ride, however, you’re in for a serious treat. Felix & Paul Studios is responsible for some of the most visually-stunning 360-degree films available on VR headsets, and Supersonic Flight is no exception.

Most recently, the studio partnered with NASA to host an immersive VR live stream of the highly-anticipated Artemis 1 rocket launch this month. Supersonic Flight is just the latest in a series of exciting partnerships with the American space agency.



You can watch Supersonic Flight – Space Explorers: Special Feature now on Meta Quest VR headsets for free via the Meta Quest TV app. For more information visit here.

Image Credit: Felix & Paul Studios

VRChat Entertainment Network Coming This New Years

From vrscout

The developer is looking for video submissions from the VRChat community.

The popular VR social platform VRChat is launching the VRChat Entertainment Network in celebration of New Year’s 2023. The fully managed video stream will feature a combination of live music video content as well as pre-recorded content made by the community for the community.

Beginning this week, VRChat users from all corners of the metaverse can submit VRChat-related video content for potential inclusion in the official video stream. This could be anything from a showcase of various VRChat worlds and a fake commercial for a fictional product to a short comedy skit or instructional how-to video.

VRChat offers a list of requirements on its website. You’ll want to keep the video length somewhere between 10 seconds and 10 minutes and aim for “family-friendly content,” which means ease up on the swearing and controversial topics.

You’ll also want to avoid promoting any real products or using especially small text. VRChat says it will do its best to notify you whether or not you’re submission has been selected, but isn’t making any promises, so you’ll want to watch the video stream just to make sure.

Your video should be recorded at a resolution of 1080p at 30 frames per second. The final version of your project must be submitted via Google Drive. You can find more information on technical guidelines here.

You have until December 5th at 12pm PT to submit your content.

Image Credit: VRChat

Watch Celebrities Conquer Their Biggest Fears In VR

From vrscout

The first episode will premiere on October 26th on Facebook, Instagram, and Meta Quest TV.

Meta is teaming up with actor & comedian Marlon Wayans on a new comedy series in which celebrities face their biggest fears in VR using Meta Quest 2. First reported by Variety, Oh Hell No! With Marlon Wayans will premiere next week on Wayans’ Facebook and Instagram. New episodes will also premiere every Wednesday on Quest headsets via the Meta Quest TV app.

Each episode follows a new celebrity as they attempt to conquer their personal phobia with the help of VR technology. This includes everything from acrophobia, the fear of heights, galeophobia, the fear of sharks, phasmophobia, the fear of supernatural entities, and zoophobia, the fear of animals.

Throughout the series, Wayans will be joined by such recognizable names as Anthony Anderson of the TV show Black-ish, Kelly Rowland of the music group Destiny’s Child, influencer Bryce Hall, professional wrestling duo the Bella Twins, influencer and singer Loren Gray, and comedian & TV host Loni Love.

Credit: Taylor Miller

“There’s nothing more fun than horror, pranking, and scaring friends,” said Wayans in a statement. “This show has all the above.”

Based on the footage provided in the trailer, the show features a unique combination of mixed reality technology and physical props. In some clips, we see the celebrity guests being tormented with different props, such as a rubber snake and a pair of music cymbals. It’s an interesting concept for a series, one that appears to make excellent use of the Quest’s immersive capabilities, not to mention mixed reality.

Credit: Marlon Wayans

“We are thrilled to collaborate with the hilarious and talented Marlon Wayans as he brings his closest friends face-to-face with their fears thanks to the power of virtual reality,” added Mina Lefevre, Meta’s head of development and programming. “We’re excited to partner with Jesse Collins Entertainment to bring these immersive experiences to life using Meta Quest 2.”

Oh Hell No! With Marlon Wayans premiers on October 26th. You can watch the show on Wayans’ Facebook and Instagram pages as well as Meta Quest TV. New episodes will be released every Wednesday at 9am moving forward.

Feature Image Credit: Marlon Wayans

UFC & Meta Are Partnering To Bring MMA To VR

From vrscout

Mixed martial arts fans are in for a serious treat.

Fans of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) were in for a surprise earlier this month when Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made an unexpected appearance at UFC Vegas 61. The Facebook founder was spotted in the audience during the event, prompting speculation from fans and media outlets. Now we know why.

Today, UFC announced that is partnering with Meta to bring future mixed martial arts (MMA) events to VR. UFC Fight Pass, the organizations subscription-based video streaming service, will soon deliver live and on-demand fights in VR via Horizon Worlds, Meta’s social VR metaverse. The first live event to be featured will be LFA 144 on Friday, October 14th.

Credit: Meta

The fight will be available to view live in VR180, an immersive video format. If you can’t make the live event, you can catch an on-demand replay anytime October 23rd-27th in Horizon Worlds.

“We are excited to offer an unprecedented level of engagement for FIGHT PASS subscribers and MMA fans around the world by producing a live MMA event in virtual reality,” said Crowley Sullivan, Vice President and General Manager, UFC Fight Pass. “With Meta providing the VR platform and YBVR lending their production expertise, we’re confident this will be a great experience for fight fans.”

Meta’s Horizon Worlds is available to download free on Meta Quest 2. You can subscribe to the fight here.

Microsoft & Meta to Bring Key Productivity Tools to Quest, Including Windows 11 via Cloud

From roadtovr

Meta and Microsoft today announced at Connect that starting in 2023 the Quest platform is getting a host of Windows productivity tools along with the ability to use Windows 11 via the cloud.

First, here’s a list of what’s coming to the Quest platform:

  • Microsoft Teams immersive meeting experiences for Meta Quest: Connect,
    share, and collaborate in Teams immersive experiences.
  • Microsoft Windows 365: Stream the Windows experience on Quest Pro and Quest 2 devices, and access your personalized apps, content, and settings in VR.
  • Microsoft 365 app experiences: Interact with 2D content from
    Sharepoint or productivity apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook directly from Quest Pro and Quest 2.
  • Microsoft Teams/Workrooms integration: Join a Teams meeting from inside
    Workrooms.
  • Meta Avatars in Microsoft Teams: Use your Meta Avatar in Teams for
    whiteboarding, brainstorming, and meetups.
  • Microsoft Intune and Azure Active Directory support: Enable
    enterprise security and management on Quest Pro and Quest 2 devices.

Notably, Windows 365 gives business and enterprise users access to a version of Windows 10 or Windows 11, streaming from Cloud PCs to the user’s web browser.

The partnership is ostensibly building on Meta’s early steps towards virtual offices with Horizon Workrooms, something Meta says will help make Meta Quest Pro “an enterprise-ready device that’s easy to use, deploy, and manage at scale.”

Key Quest Pro Coverage:

Quest Pro Revealed – Full Specs, Price, & Release Date

Quest Pro Hands-on – The Dawn of the Mixed Reality Headset Era

Quest Pro Technical Analysis – What’s Promising & What’s Not

Touch Pro Controllers Revealed – Also Compatible with Quest 2

There’s no launch date in sight yet, however the companies say we can expect to see these apps sometime next year.

A new ‘Meta Quest for Business’ subscription bundle for Quest Pro and Quest 2 is also said to include “essential admin features” such as device and application management, premium support, and access to Microsoft Intune and Azure Active Directory.

“This means companies that want to provision Meta Quest devices can be confident that the security and management options they expect from PCs and mobile devices will be available in VR,” Meta says.

This comes alongside the official unveiling of Quest Pro, which carries with it the very business-centric price tag of $1,500 for the 256 GB model.

Meta Announces Four Accessories for Quest Pro, Including Light Blocker for Full Immersion

From roadtovr

Meta today officially unveiled Quest Pro, its high-end VR headset capable of AR interactions thanks to full-color passthrough. Since you’re shelling out $1,500 for the headset and controllers though, you might as well take a look around at what else the company has to offer.

Quest Pro already comes with a charging dock in the box; it’s an easier way of making sure your battery is always topped up—something you’ll need since Quest Pro’s battery only lasts between 1-2 hours.

Meta is selling a more compact charging dock for $80 though for easier on-the-go charging, available on October 25th. The two-in-one dock includes a 45W USB-C power adapter, capable of charging your Touch Pro controllers and any Quest headset with a USB-C connection.

Image courtesy Meta

Quest Pro has an open design that doesn’t fully block ambient light—fine for AR stuff, but not so fine for VR immersion. To compensate, Meta is selling a silicone ‘Full Light Blocker’, priced at $50 and out November 22nd. Here’s what it looks it looks like attached to the headset and without:

Quest Pro is a lot like Quest 2 in the audio department, providing the user an open-ear speaker. To let you shut out some of the outside world, Meta is pitching a pair of ‘VR Earphones’ for $50, out October 25th. Notice left/right independent design:

Image courtesy Meta

The headset has two 3.5mm jacks (left and right) so it’s very likely you can bring your own audio without issue, however we’re still awaiting confirmation on that.

If it’s anything like PSVR or the original Quest, both of which also feature similar left/right 3.5mm jacks, it will support a single pair of headphones plugged into one just fine.

Update: Both 3.5mm jacks are stereo capable, so you can easily bring your own audio.

And do you think you can just let a $1,500 device float around in your bag, making it vulnerable to scratches and inevitable fruit snack goo? Meta is also offering a Quest Pro Carry Case, priced at $120 and out October 25th.

Image courtesy Meta

Built by Incase, the carry case includes a custom-fit inner shell with interior pockets, securely storing your Quest Pro and other accessories.

You can check out all these over at Meta. Regardless of ship date, all will be available for pre-order starting today, October 11th.