Meta Quest 3S: Limited Xbox Edition for Game Pass streaming presented

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Meta and Microsoft have surprisingly released the “Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition” today. The limited special edition of the VR goggles features a black and green design based on the typical Xbox branding. The package includes an Xbox Wireless Controller, a color-matching Elite Strap and Meta's Touch Plus VR controller, as well as three free months each for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Meta Horizon+ game subscriptions.

No native Xbox VR in sight

The storage capacity of the headset is 128 gigabytes, and the recommended retail price is 399 US dollars – just under 100 dollars less than the individual components would cost in stores. It will be sold via Meta's own website and the Best Buy (USA), Argos and EE (UK) retail chains. There are currently no plans to launch the device in Germany, although there is a German store page – with the note “Not available in your region”.

Technically, the device remains unchanged and has all the features of a conventional Meta Quest 3S. Only the accessories and the look have been adapted. There are also no exclusive functions on the software side. The new edition also does not offer native VR for Xbox consoles, but relies on streaming via the cloud or remote access to Xbox games. Microsoft is not currently pursuing any plans of its own to develop a fully-fledged VR system for the Xbox platform.

Game Pass streaming in the VR glasses

The Quest 3S Xbox Edition is being released as part of a long-term partnership between Meta and Microsoft, which has been in place since 2022. As part of this collaboration, Xbox Cloud Gaming was integrated into the Quest platform, among other things. Since the end of 2023, Quest owners with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription have been able to stream Xbox games directly on the VR glasses via the official app – displayed on a virtual 2D big screen in mixed reality or a special Xbox VR environment.

Various controllers such as the included Xbox gamepad or Sony's DualShock 4 are supported, but not the Quest VR controllers, which are unsuitable for classic button assignments. A stable internet connection is required, ideally via 5 GHz WLAN with at least 20 Mbit/s.

However, restrictions must be expected in terms of image quality: Xbox Cloud Gaming delivers a maximum of 1080p at 60 frames per second. In combination with the Fresnel lenses of the Quest 3S, this results in a limited viewing experience with a small sweet spot and reduced image sharpness. The battery life is also unlikely to be sufficient for long sessions –. The only solution here is an additional battery pack or permanent mains operation.

Xbox Remote Play was also recently announced for the Quest: this allows locally installed games to be streamed from an Xbox console to the VR glasses via the browser. It is still unclear when the function will actually be available.

Marketing instead of platform strategy

The release of the Xbox edition is likely to primarily serve strategic goals: Microsoft wants to expand Game Pass subscriptions without having to invest in costly VR development itself. Meta, on the other hand, benefits from Xbox branding to appeal to fans and collectors.

If you want to use the Quest 3S primarily as a streaming display and already have a Game Pass subscription, the bundle is a compact all-in-one solution. However, anyone hoping for high-quality VR experiences or native Xbox VR games is likely to be disappointed. The Xbox Edition of the Quest 3S is one thing above all else: a marketing product.

(joe)