This year, the Meta’s Quest app (called Meta Horizon), which is required to set up the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S headsets, once again shot to the top of the App Store’s list of free apps on Christmas Day , and I’m hardly surprised that virtual reality headsets were apparently the best tech gift of 2024.
Quest’s success was discovered by Upload VR, who noted that this is the third time Meta has achieved this feat: he did it in 2021, 2023, and now 2024 (he missed in 2022, and that is attributed to the controversial Meta Quest). 2 price increase).
Adding to the success of the Meta Quest 3 and 3S are Amazon’s sales figures: Amazon.com says the Quest 3S was purchased by more than 100,000 people last month, and the Quest 3 was purchased by more than 50,000 Amazon shoppers ( All in all, that’s fine). on the number of PS5, PS5 Pros, and Xbox Series S and X models sold in the same month combined); It looks like shoppers took advantage of those great Black Friday Meta Quest deals we saw before Christmas.
But while the sales make virtual reality headsets seem like an even better deal than usual, I’m not surprised that the Meta Quest 3 and 3S have proven popular, and those of you who don’t have one should consider changing that and joining to all those Christmas shoppers.
Virtual reality is better than ever
In 2024, the main reason you should get a VR headset (specifically a Meta Quest 3 or 3S) is because the devices feel like they’ve really come to life. There is a fantastic set of games and apps of various genres and uses: you can become Batman, experience immersive simulators, watch TV and play non-VR games on massive virtual screens, and even use it to work with productivity tools.
And this applies to both fully immersive virtual reality and the combined real and virtual experiences that mixed reality (MR) offers; Thanks to the good-quality full-color cameras on these Quest 3 headsets, launching an MRI app feels like a worthwhile experience and not just a novelty, as has been the case in the past.
Additionally, while I think the full Meta Quest 3 is worth the price increase, the Meta Quest 3S costing just $299.99 / £289.99 / AU$499.99 means it offers excellent value for money. Yes, the screens aren’t as sharp and are bulkier, but the Quest 3S’s games and apps still run as well as they would on the more expensive system, and the price is much easier to justify to yourself (or your loved ones). parents, if you want). I wanted it as a gift, when you are looking to buy a device.
Plus, as standalone headsets, these systems don’t require any extras like a PC or PS5, unlike the PSVR 2 headset, for example. This makes it easier for newcomers to VR or gaming to set up the systems, and reduces the effective cost of the systems.
Oh, and that Batman experience I mentioned, which is titled Batman: Arkham Shadow – is included with Quest 3 purchases for free until the end of April 2025. It’s a truly excellent game, a must-have for Batman fans, and only serves to further sweeten the deal for anyone interested in picking up 3 or the 3S. .
If this is you, or you’ve already gotten your hands on one, I recommend that you also browse my picks for my favorite VR games and apps of 2024 so you can download them and start your journey with Meta Quest 3 on the right foot.
