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Announced at Connect last week, Meta is launching its next-generation avatars in Horizon Worlds today, giving users a lot more customization options to choose from before jumping into the company’s social VR platform.

Starting today, users can dig even deeper into adjusting their avatars’ appearance, including features like customizable body proportions, nose shape, eye size, and lip size. Like its previous avatars system, these also work across Meta’s other platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.

The sort of flash marketing images you’ll see with smiling and laughing avatars only really paints a part of the picture though, since the sort of smooth, Pixar-esque scripted avatar animations seen on flatscreen simply aren’t a thing in VR. Still, the new avatar system brings a lot more flexibility to the table, which Instagram user ‘mistermavix’ shows off in a recent video:

Meta says in the most recent Horizon Worlds v182 release notes that world creators should make sure their virtual environments are ready for updated avatars, which includes things like making sure features of their worlds interact with the new avatars’ expanded range of body shapes and sizes.

Specifically, attachable items, lighting, and interactable objects like furniture may need adjustments to accommodate the new avatars, Meta says, noting that doorways and walkways should also be reviewed to ensure they comfortably fit the varied avatar proportions.

This follows an update in August last year that finally brought legs to Meta avatars, which came amid a greater push to attract more users to Horizon Worlds with the launch of support for Android and iOS mobile devices as well as standard PC browsers.

The newly discounted Meta Quest 3 (512GB) is now available on Amazon, along with pre-orders of the new Quest 3S (128GB) and (256GB), with that sweet, speedy Prime shipping. All now include the promised bundle that includes Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three month subscription to Meta Quest+.

It wasn’t initially clear exactly when the newly reduced Quest 3 price would hit—would we have to wait until Quest 3S actually launches on October 15th?

Turns out, nope! The newly discounted Quest 3 (512GB) is now available on Amazon for $500. Just yesterday the headset was listing at its original price of $650. It also now includes a bundled copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow (releasing October 22nd) and a three month subscription to Meta Quest+.

The Quest 3 (128GB) model is being phased out, with its own price reduced to $430 while stock remains. At the time of writing, Amazon says it’s already out of stock. But it’s currently offering an even further discounted refurbished Quest 3 (128GB) for just $380. The refurbished unit does not appear to include the Batman Arkham Shadow and Meta Quest+ bundle.

As for Meta’s new Quest 3S, both models can be pre-ordered on Amazon ahead of the October 15th release date, with the (128GB) model for $300, and the (256GB) model for $400. Both include a bundled copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow (releasing October 22nd) and a three month subscription to Meta Quest+.

Important note: right now the Quest 3S (128GB) is showing delivery from Amazon right around release date, but the Quest 3S (256GB) isn’t expect to deliver until the end of November. It’s unclear if this is a fluke. We’ll be keeping our eye on the date, but in the meantime it looks like ordering the (256GB) headset direct from Meta may mean an earlier delivery.

Other places to check for Quest 3S stock and favorable delivery dates include Best Buy, Newegg, Walmart, and Target.

Not sure if you should get Quest 3 or Quest 3S? Compare the specs and get our take right here.

During Meta Connect’s big Quest 3S unveiling yesterday, where the company showed off the $300 headset for the first time, Meta announced it was also releasing a new app exclusively for Quest 3 that lets you explore photorealistic spaces. And they aren’t like the 360 photos you’ll see in Google Street View either; they’re full photogrammetry scenes you can actually walk through.

Meta calls the app Horizon Hyperscape, which is now available to Quest 3 and Quest 3S users in the US for free.

The company notes its photorealistic environments were created using mobile phone scans and cloud-based processing, highlighting however that Horizon Hyperscape is a “demo experience to showcase our vision for photorealism, as a profound new way to feel like you’re physically there.”

While users can’t upload their own photo scans “today,” on stage at Connect CEO Mark Zuckerberg underlined “you can use your phone to scan a room and recreate it, or step into a room that someone else has scanned and shared,” making it seem like that functionality seems could come at some point in the future.

For now, the app features a handful of large-scale photogrammetry scenes, which include explorable spaces, such as EastWest Studios in Hollywood, and densely packed artist workshops from Daniel Arsham, Rebecca Fox, and Gil Bruvel.

All of it feels a bit like Valve’s now-defunct Destinations Workshop tools for PC VR, released in 2016, which allowed users to similarly explore and upload photogrammetry scenes. We’re betting Meta wants to make it a bit simpler from an end-user perspective when it comes to capturing and processing the massive number of photos required to create such a detailed environment though.

Amazon today released a new version of its Prime Video app for Quest, which is letting you do one thing the 2019-era version never got around to: downloading and watching videos offline. That ought to put Travel Mode to good use.

The original Prime Video VR app for Quest hasn’t seen much love since it was launched in 2019, although with the entrance of Quest 3S and overtures to mobile app developers to stock the Horizon Store with 2D and spatial apps alike, Amazon is launching a new version of the video streaming app, supporting Quest 2/3/Pro. And Quest 3S, of course.

The new version, named Amazon Prime Video, is now live, letting you sign into your Prime account and watch the regular slate of movies, TV, and sports, although it’s now boasting the ability to download and watch content offline.

It also includes multi-user profiles, and access to X-Ray, the IMDb-powered pop-up for extra information, such as actors currently on screen.

This comes as Meta kicks its spatial app framework into high gear, promising more rapid development of traditional 2D apps.

Say goodbye to the 128GB version of Quest 3, as the company is slated to only offer the 512GB version moving forward, and at a new, more attractive price.

With the entrance of Quest 3S, and the discontinuation of Quest 2 and Quest Pro, Meta’s lineup is shifting a bit to make way for its new entry level XR headset, Quest 3S.

Released in late 2023 for $650, the 512GB version of Quest 3 is still the company’s best-in-class XR headset. Originally released at $500, Meta today announced at Connect it’s retiring the 128GB version, slashing the larger storage option to the new $500 price tag.

You can still get a 128GB version though, now priced at $430 while supplies last. Although it’s not a crazy price cut, it’s certainly not something to sneeze at if you absolutely need a great XR headset today and don’t want to go down a half-step with Quest 3S, which is being offered starting at $300 for the 128GB version and $400 for the 512GB version.

Quest 3S is slated to launch on October 15th, offering the same resolution and Fresnel optics as Quest 2, but with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR gen 2 chipset as of Quest 3. Check out the full specs compared side-by-side to see how it stacks up.

So to recap, here’s the Quest line-up as it stands today:

• Quest 3S (128GB) – $300
• Quest 3S (512GB) – $400
• Quest 3 (128GB) – $430, discontinued and available while supplies last
• Quest 3 (512GB) – $500
• Quest Pro (256GB) – $1,000, discontinued and available while supplies last
• Quest 2 (128GB) discontinued, out of stock
• Quest 2 (256GB) discontinued, out of stock

Meta finally unveiled the long-rumored (and leaked) Quest 3S, but that doesn’t mean we’re getting a torrent of new accessories. While most Quest 3 accessories work with Quest 3S, Meta also announced two new model-exclusive facial interfaces that may turn some heads, and a new controller charging dock too.

Note: We’re tracking down prices, and will update once that information is made public.

Quest 3S Breathable Facial Interface

Working out in a VR headset can be an awesome way to burn calories, but it also is usually a pretty sweaty affair. Enter the Quest 3S-exclusive ‘Breathable Facial Interface’ which looks to give your eyeballs some much needed fresh air.

The “perforated yet immersive” fabric design also comes with a silicone face pad exterior that should make wiping down the inevitable sweat buildup that much easier.

Quest 3 Open Facial Interface

We’re still hunting down product images of this one, but Meta says it’s also launching an Open Facial Interface, exclusive to Quest 3.

The low-profile replacement facial interface promises to let you better blend real and mixed reality, leaving your periphery open similar to how the stock facial interface works on Quest Pro. It also promises a removable face pad for easy cleanup.

And with an open-face design, like the Quest 3S Breathable Facial Interface, it also promises to be breathable than the stock face pad.

Touch Plus Charging Dock

There’s also set to be a new Touch Plus controller charging dock, since Quest 3S doesn’t feature charging pins like on Quest 3. They do however share the same Touch Plus controller, which can be docked (hence the new accessory), supporting both Quest 3 and Quest 3S.

The charging dock is said to allow for “drop-in charging for Touch Plus, which comes with rechargeable batteries and an extended cable to charge Quest.”

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We’re at Meta Connect to hunt down all of the missing details, and will update this article with pricing and respective release dates, so check back soon. 

Out with the old, in with the new. Meta announced that the cheap and cheerful Quest 2 and the company’s pricey mixed reality pioneer Quest Pro are officially getting the boot, marking Meta’s next big push to bring mixed reality to the masses.

There aren’t any official figures going around, but it’s safe to say Quest 2 was Meta’s most popular VR headset to date, coming just one year after the launch of the original Quest, which was released in May 2019.

Still, even nearly three years after release, Quest 2 was so popular last Holiday season it handily outsold Quest 3 on Amazon. While it’s impossible to say whether Quest 3S will live up to Quest 2’s legacy, at an aggressive $300 price point for the entry-level 128GB model, it has a pretty good chance of again attracting plenty of eyeballs when it launches October 15th.

So much can’t be said for Quest Pro, which always felt more like an expensive mixed reality dev kit than a consumer device, launching in 2022 for an eye-watering $1,500.

Granted, Meta relented somewhat, bringing it down to $1,000 nearly a year after launch, likely owing to its overly exclusionary price point and lack of compelling MR content—something Meta hopes to deliver on starting with Quest 3S.

That said, we’re unlikely to recommend Quest Pro over Quest 3 or Quest 3S due to the upcoming slate of Quest 3-exclusive content that notably doesn’t support Quest Pro.

And with that, Meta is now officially winding down sales of Quest 2 and Quest Pro. Remaining stock will be sold through the end of the year or until they’re gone, whichever comes first, Meta says.

Accessories for both are still going to be on offer, such as carrying cases, Touch Pro controllers, Quest 2 Active Pack, or any of the other accessories for Quest 2 and Pro, with Meta noting it will to continue selling those “for a bit longer” after Quest 2 and QUest Pro headset supplies dry up.

So, out with the old, in the with the new. Check out our hands-on with Quest 3S to get the full details on just why Meta thinks you might want its next XR headset.