Say whatever you'd like about the predictability of Microsoft, but the Xbox brand has pivoted so wildly over the last several years that you'd assume its product roadmap was nothing but hairpin bends.
From banking heavily on Xbox Game Pass and cloud gaming, to sharing exclusive games with PlayStation, to teaming up with Asus for the ROG Xbox Ally handheld, and even suggesting third parties will build their own Xbox consoles in the future, it's increasingly hard to know where Xbox is heading next.
Except, we do know one thing: it's been a year and change since a very different kind of Xbox hardware was quietly announced — one that won't be a console in the traditional sense, but a VR/XR headset. Given its scope, we may even see it revealed as soon as this September.
Xbox's take on the Meta Quest 3: Powered by Horizon OS
In April 2024, Meta announced that it was opening the door for third-party manufacturers to adopt the Meta Quest 3's operating system, Horizon OS.
Alongside this announcement, Meta (and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Instagram) revealed that this decision would spark a new generation of VR/MX hardware, with several partners already lined up to spearhead the move, including:
- ASUS ROG: Who were earmarked to develop a new stand-alone, high-performance headset optimized for gaming and powered by Horizon OS
- Lenovo: Tipped to use Horizon OS' mixed reality features to power headsets for education, productivity, and entertainment
- Xbox: Set to build upon it's partnership with Meta following Xbox Cloud Gaming's arrival to Horizon OS by developing a limited edition Meta Quest headset
We didn't get to see any of these devices as prototypes, and we weren't offered any form of release date or pricing information. But Meta did reveal that each headset could be fine-tuned to suit its target audiences.
In Xbox's case, Zuckerberg suggested that this model could "come straight out of the box with Xbox controllers and Game Pass, so that you can immediately just start playing on a big screen anywhere you go."
How that translates to the final product remains to be seen, and just how special Xbox's limited edition Meta Quest headset is from the standard Quest 3 model is also up in the air.
However, we have seen Meta provide limited editions of other products, namely its Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, which have received new colorways and designs over the years. At the very least, this could mean that Xbox's Quest headset will visually stand out, likely opting for the black colorway that the console is primarily known for.
As a limited edition Meta Quest variant, we can likely rule out any dramatic changes to the Quest 3's current design or features. You can probably expect it to look pretty much the same as the current third-generation Quest headsets, though adopting the Xbox Wireless Controller's colored buttons would be a nice touch.
Big screen experience or fully VR ready?
That's if the Quest 3's Touch Plus controllers are included in the box, Zuckerberg did hint that the headset could come with an Xbox controller, after all. Thankfully, those who nab the headset when it launches will still be able to use its hand tracking for VR/MX content, and a lack of controllers could result in a sizeable discount on the headset's overall price.
If the limited edition Xbox Meta Quest headset adopts the Quest 3S as its baseline, instead of the more premium Quest 3 model, it could be an impressively affordable entry-level option for VR/MR first-timers.
However, many of the Quest's most popular games do require a pair of Touch Plus controllers. Which means, should you be swayed by the Quest's VR/MX game library, you would need to buy the controllers separately, which Meta sells for $74.99 — each.
When can we expect it?
Frustratingly, the last time we heard of this Xbox-branded headset was also the first time we heard about it. Since Meta's original post in April 2024, we've had pretty much radio silence.
Does this mean that the project has evaporated into thin air? Well, it wouldn't be the first time that Meta has announced something and failed to deliver (we're still waiting for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas VR).
However, with Xbox happy enough to work with third parties on Xbox-branded hardware (even to the point of cancelling its own plans) and the seemingly small scope of the collaboration, I'd say there's a strong chance that this headset is still due to release. The question is: when?
The answer to that question may be sooner than we think, with the upcoming Meta Connect 2025 event, scheduled for September 17-18, making an ideal stage to showcase a new headset, especially as the Meta Quest 4 is rumored not to make an appearance until 2027.
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