As among the most prolific trailblazers in the metaverse ecosystem, Meta takes its know-how one step further with an all-new exciting virtual reality platform.
Announced today, June 1st, in a press release, the firm will be launching its third iteration of the Meta Quest this fall. This new VR hardware entry will also herald in a lowered MSRP of the Meta Quest 2 starting June 4 at $299,
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the Meta Quest 3 on Instagram, highlighting the device's many exciting new additions. The firm has already gifted it with a "supercharged all-in-on headset" tagline, which boasts a $499 price tag, better performance and resolution capabilities, as well as Meta Reality technology.
It's clear the Quest 3 will be marketed as one of the very first metaverse-touting hardware platforms, given the importance of Meta Reality Labs and the technology Meta has long been innovating.
Meta has teamed up with Qualcomm, gifting the new device a next-generation Snapdragon chip that, according to the press release, "delivers more than twice the graphical performance as the previous generation."
Meta explains the new technology will help to make games feel even more immersive while also enhancing details around the user. Some of these technological innovations include high-fidelity color passthrough, spatial understanding, and machine learning, which will all come together to aid the device's blending of reality with the virtual world.
The Quest 3 is set not only to be fully wireless like its predecessor but also to be even slimmer and more comfortable.
The headset will leverage a 40% slimmer optic profile from that of the Quest 2, in addition to completely redesigned Touch Plus controllers, which will have TruTouch haptics as seen on the firm's Touch Pro.
While gaming might be at the forefront of VR experiences, Meta makes a note to highlight several additional ways the Quest 3 will amplify the XR ecosystem.
In its press announcement, Meta points out such experiences as Painting VR, which allows users to decorate their own living quarters with virtual art, and Demeo, a table-top board game title that turns the often physical experience into a fully digital one.
The Quest 3 will also be compatible with over 500 VR games, apps, and more that already exist on the Quest 2. The company also expresses that it has "even more exciting VR and MR titles lined up for launch."
It aims to gift the Quest 3 one of the most extensive libraries for VR headsets at the very outset of its release. The firm is hosting a Meta Quest Gaming Showcase on June 1st, which will feature, among other surprises, a special look at one triple A Quest 3 title.
More information is slated to drop come Meta's Connect event slated for September 27, 2023. The firm is gearing up for a rather exciting new addition to its Quest lineup and is pulling out all the stops to ensure the device gains the traction it deserves in the face of Apple's still-rumored VR headset, a device that could make its debut as soon as next week's WWDC event.
