Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced today at Connect, the company’s annual XR developer conference, that it’s going to launch a set of mixed reality mini-apps on Quest 3 that you can stick anywhere in your house.
Relying on Quest 3’s room-mapping capabilities, the so-called ‘augments’ are due to launch sometime next year on Meta’s newly fully unveiled mixed reality headset, bringing what the company calls “interactive, spatially aware digital objects that come to life all around you.”
This includes simple objects, like a piece of art you can stick to your real-world wall, or something more involved like a weather app on your desk that alerts you before rain starts—all of it appearing right in place whenever you put on your headset.
Image courtesy Meta
Zuckerberg also noted that these sorts of ‘frames’ can contain things like Facebook videos, Instagram Reels, and other apps, but also portrait-shaped ‘portals’ that act as immediate links to VR games, like fitness app Supernatural.
Meta says it’s also going to launch branded augments like an iHeartRadio music player and Beat Saber trophies—ostensibly all of the sort of stuff that Meta thinks you’d want to hang on your wall as you’re consuming traditional content through the headset.
We’ve seen some similar stuff from Magic Leap before it pivoted to enterprise, and Apple is sure to push many of the same augmented reality widgets with the launch of Apple Vision Pro. It’s going to be interesting to not only see what sort of brand deals the company can reel in, but how it goes toe-to-toe with Apple as it courts the more purely AR side things.
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Connect 2023 kicks off today, taking place September 27th and 28th at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters. There’s been a ton of news already, so make sure to follow along with Connect for all of the latest XR stuff from Meta.
Meta announced at its Connect developer conference today that LEGO is releasing a mixed reality game for Quest 3, named LEGO Bricktales.
The blocky puzzle game essentially puts you in front of a number of diorama biomes, which were crafted brick by brick.
“Your journey will take you to the deepest jungle, sun-drenched deserts, a bustling city corner, a towering medieval castle, and tropical Caribbean islands,” Meta says in an announcement.
The objective is to help the minifigures of these worlds by solving puzzles and unlocking new skills throughout the story to further explore these worlds and uncover the many secrets and mysteries they contain.
LEGO Bricktales isn’t just puzzles and skills, Meta says on the game’s Quest Store page.
“From purely aesthetic creations, such as a market stand or music box, up to functional physics-based puzzles like building a crane or gyrocopter – each diorama offers a variety of construction spots with the freedom of intuitive brick-by-brick building. In each spot you are given a set of bricks and it’s up to you to figure out a unique build that will work. On top of specific puzzles and quests, there are additional builds in the amusement park so you can customize the rides to make them your own,” the description reads.
In addition to Quest 3, LEGO Bricktales will also support Quest 2 and Quest Pro when it launches, which is coming December 7th, 2023. The game is currently available for pre-order, priced at $30, which comes with an exclusive in-game outfit.
Meta announced at its annual developer conference today that Quest 3 is now available for pre-order starting at $500, shipping October 10th. The company also revealed a host of accessories which ought to help knock a few of those pesky paychecks from your bank account.
Here’s the full list of accessories announced today. You can find them all over at Meta’s website, and likely also through online retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Walmart.
Quest 3 Charging Dock [$130]
Quest 3 Charging Dock | Image courtesy Meta
Product description:Be ready to play and stay organized with an all-in-one wireless charging dock for the Meta Quest 3 headset and controllers. Includes rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for your controllers. The charging dock is also compatible with our other accessories including Elite Strap, Elite Strap with Battery, and Active Straps (sold separately).
Quest 3 Elite Strap [$70]
Quest 3 Elite Strap | Image courtesy Meta
Product description: Play in comfort with this adjustable, ergonomic head strap that easily adjusts to fit most head sizes with the turn of a dial. This lightweight strap takes pressure off your face and evenly distributes the weight for a more comfortable fit.
Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery [$130]
Quest 3 Elite Battery Strap | Image courtesy Meta
Product description: Play in comfort and get up to 2 hours additional VR game playtime* with this adjustable ergonomic head strap that features a built-in, lithium-ion battery. Easily adjusts to fit most head sizes while distributing the weight for a more comfortable fit. Charge your headset and head strap battery simultaneously with a single charging cable. *Battery life may vary based on headset usage, configurations, and settings.
Quest 3 Carrying Case [$70]
Quest 3 Carrying Case | Image courtesy Meta
Product description: Take your headset and accessories on the go with style and complete protection. Designed for your Meta Quest 3 headset, Touch Plus controllers, charging cable, adapter, headstrap (standard or Elite) and Active Straps. This genuine Meta Quest accessory ensures a perfect fit, durability, and convenience anywhere you take your gear.
Quest 3 Silicone Facial Interface [$40]:
Quest 3 Silicon Facial Interface | Image courtesy Meta
Product description:Wipe away sweat and dirt easily and get right back to your next workout or gaming session. This soft, silicone facial interface provides a cleaner feel and comfortable fit on your face. Get a perfect fit and block out unwanted light from entering your Meta Quest 3.
Quest Active Straps for Touch Plus Controllers [$40]
Quest 3 Touch Plus Active Straps | Image courtesy Meta
Product description:Play with confidence and intensity with these premium, adjustable straps that give extra grip and stability for your Meta Quest Touch Plus Controllers. Designed to comfortably fit most hand sizes, Active Straps provide added stability and effortless grip while you play, navigate and gesture in VR.
Quest 3 Facial Interface & Head Strap [$50]:
Created using images courtesy Meta
Product description: Express yourself in bold color and stay comfortable in Meta Quest 3. The fabric facial interface provides breathable cushioning while blocking out unwanted light. Color-matched, flexible head strap fully adjusts to fit most head sizes for added support. Available in Elemental Blue and Blood Orange.
VR Prescription Lenses for Quest 3 [$50]
Quest 3 Prescription Inserts | Image courtesy Meta
Product description: Experience a seamless viewing experience without the hassle of glasses. Lightweight and easy to install, these lenses are custom made by Zenni for your exact prescription. Designed in collaboration with Meta, these prescription lenses provide a perfect fit and high-quality visual experience in your Meta Quest 3.
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Razer is also making wireless earbuds for Quest 3, named ‘Razer Hammerhead HyperSpeed Earbuds for Meta Quest 3’.
Additionally, the company is still hawking its $80 Quest Link Cable, which has been confirmed to work with Quest 3.
Like Quest 2, Quest 3 can also optionally swap out their standard Touch controllers for Quest Touch Pro Controllers, priced at an eye-watering $300. This includes more accurate inside-out tracking that doesn’t require line of sight, as with all other Touch controllers from generations past.
Connect 2023 kicks off today, taking place September 27th and 28th at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters. There’s been a ton of news already, so make sure to follow along with Connect for all of the latest XR stuff from Meta.
At Meta Connect 2023 today, among the avalanche of news we learned Quest 3 is shipping October 10th, accessories are raining from the sky, and there will be “another 50+ titles” coming by year’s end.
Meta says over 100 new and upgraded titles are coming to Quest 3 by year’s end, with over half of them brand new.
Many of those 100+ apps and games are getting some form of “MR features” too, Meta says, which ought to help fill out what so far seems to be a fairly shallow pool of mixed reality content currently. Mixed reality games announced today include multiplayer tabletop battle game BAM! from I-Illusions, a mixed reality mode for Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord,Lego Bricktales and Meta’s First Encounters tutorial app for Quest 3 (we’ll be filling out this list as we learn more). Meta also showed MR modes for Stranger Things VR and Less Mills Body Combat.
Demeo Mixed Reality mode | Image courtesy Meta
While full-color passthrough allows for mixed reality games, Quest 3 is thankfully also backwards compatible with Quest 2’s entire library of over 500+ VR games and apps.
Granted, individual developers will need to push Quest 3-specific updates that overhaul things like texture quality and render resolution to get the most out of the Meta’s latest and greatest.
Its higher-resolution, independent displays and second-gen Snapdragon XR2 (see the full specs here) will also boost Quest 2 content out of the gate though, making what’s there a little sharper and clear, and a little less resource intensive too.
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Connect 2023 kicks off today, taking place September 27th and 28th at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters. There’s been a ton of news already, so make sure to follow along with Connect for all of the latest XR stuff from Meta.
At Connect 2023 today, Meta released the long-awaited info drop for Quest 3, its first mixed reality headset for consumers, which includes specs, price, online pre-orders, launch date and more. Here’s the main bits:
Quest 3 is officially now available for pre-order, with shipping slated to start on October 10th, 2023. In the US, you’ll be able to find Quest 3 online through Meta as well as its official partners, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.
The mixed reality headset is being offered in two variants, a 128GB version for $500, and a 512GB version for $650. Here are those prices in GBP, EUR, and JPY:
£479.99 GBP (128GB), £619.99 GBP (512GB)
€549.99 EUR (128GB), €699.99 EUR (512GB)
¥74,800 JPY (128GB), ¥96,800 JPY (512GB)
Image courtesy Meta
Meta announced it’s bundling both variants of Quest 3 with Quest-exclusive sequel Asgard’s Wrath 2, valued at $60. On top of Asgard’s Wrath 2, which is due out sometime this winter, the 512GB version includes a six-month subscription to the PS Plus-style game service Meta Quest+, valued at $108.
Following the release of Quest Pro last year, which initially sold for $1,500 but was later reduced to $1,000, Quest 3 is the company’s first mixed reality headset created specifically with consumers in mind. It includes color passthrough sensors which allow the user to see the outside world, which is not only useful for switching between VR mode and checking out your surroundings, but also for playing AR games using your physically environment as a backdrop.
There are a ton more announcement on the way, so make sure to follow along with us for all of the latest XR news to come from Connect 2023.
Quest 3 Specs
Resolution
2,064 × 2,208 (4.5MP) per-eye, LCD (2x)
Refresh Rate
90Hz, 120Hz (experimental)
Optics
Pancake non-Fresnel
Field-of-view (claimed)
110ºH × 96ºV
Optical Adjustments
Continuous IPD, stepped eye-relief (built in)
IPD Adjustment Range
53–75mm
Processor
Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
RAM
8GB
Storage
128GB, 512GB
Connectors
USB-C, contact pads for optional dock charging
Weight
515g
Battery Life
1.5-3 hours
Headset Tracking
Inside-out (no external beacons)
Controller Tracking
Headset-tracked (headset line-of-sight needed)
Expression Tracking
none
Eye Tracking
none
On-board cameras
6x external (18ppd RGB sensors 2x)
Input
Touch Plus (AA battery 1x), hand-tracking, voice
Audio
In-headstrap speakers, 3.5mm aux output
Microphone
Yes
Pass-through view
Yes (color)
MSRP
$500 (128GB), $650 (512GB)
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Connect 2023 kicks off today, taking place September 27th and 28th at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters. There’s been a ton of news already, so make sure to follow along with Connect for all of the latest XR stuff from Meta.
Razer hasn’t exactly been all-in when it comes to making VR accessories, although there have been a few bits of VR kit over the years from the RGB-infused gaming hardware giant. This time around Razer says it’s releasing a Quest-branded model of its noise cancelling Hammerhead HyperSpeed earbuds.
Announced alongside pre-orders for Quest 3, the earbuds for Quest 3 and Quest 2 include a USB-C dongle for a low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connection in addition to Buetooth 5.2 support.
Image courtesy Meta
Initially released in late 2022, the company’s standard noise cancelling Hammerhead HyperSpeed earbuds support a wide range of devices, including PS5, PS4, PC, Mac, smartphones, tablets, and handheld gaming devices with Bluetooth audio capability or USB-C / USB-A port. You can already get them in two flavors, branded either for Xbox or PlayStation.
Razer says the earbuds are slated to release sometime later this year. There’s no pricing yet, although the standard Hammerhead HyperSpeed earbuds cost $150 MSRP. Considering this looks to be more of a brand licensing deal than the “Made for Meta” badging might suggest, you can probably bet on that pricing.
While we haven’t seen a list of supported USB-C headphones for Quest 3, Meta has certified a number of other earbuds, including the very similar wireless Anker Soundcore VR P10 earbuds, and wired USB-C Earbuds for Pixel, Samsung and OnePlus.
Meta Quest 3—already available for pre-order today starting at $500—is slated to arrive at doorsteps come October 10th. Like Quest 2, the company’s latest and greatest features an all-white design, but for the first time Meta is actually offering some color customization accessories that look to make this three-eyed headset even more flashy.
There seems to be a pattern here: Quest (2019) was black. Quest 2 (2020) was white. Quest Pro (2022) is black. Quest 3 is…white… again. Sort of.
Meta unveiled an avalanche of accessories for Quest 3, and among them is the $50 optional Quest 3 Facial Interface & Head Strap kit, which provides a replacement fabric facial interface and a color-matched, flexible head strap.
While you’ll probably have to head to aftermarket companies (please D-Brand, make it happen) to cover up the main bit, the Quest 3 Facial Interface & Head Strap kit can get you started out of the gate, available in ‘Elemental Blue’ and ‘Blood Orange’.
You can nab these two accessories and a host of others starting today, including things like a charging dock, the usual flavors of battery and non-battery Elite headstraps, an official carrying case, and replacement bits galore. Pre-orders launch today over on Meta’s website, but will also likely have availability through online retail partners Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Walmart.
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Connect 2023 kicks off today, taking place September 27th and 28th at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters. There’s been a ton of news already, so make sure to follow along with Connect for all of the latest XR stuff from Meta.
Meta Connect 2023 was all about Quest 3 today. The company announced it’s shipping the mixed reality standalone October 10th, starting at $500 for the 128GB version. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth an upgrade, here’s a side-by-side breakdown between the company’s other consumer-focused headset, Quest 2.
Released in 2020, Quest 2 packs in a fair bit of tech that should keep it relevant for the next few years of VR gaming yet to come. It’s also a lot cheaper, starting at $300 for the 128GB variant. It’s all about standalone VR gaming, which is something that’s about to change with the introduction of Quest 3, the company’s first consumer mixed reality headset.
Quest 2 next to Quest 3 | Image courtesy Meta
There are more than a few new additions to Quest 3, namely its slimmer and better-balanced design, faster second-gen Snapdragon XR2 chipset, and full-color mixed reality passthrough function—all of which ought to raise an eyebrow or two as you can not only game with better clarity and comfort, but also dip your toes into the slowly filling pool of mixed reality games.
Yeah, there hasn’t been much in that department, but it’s the most capable standalone headset in its class—for now. Check out the specs below to see just how three years of intergenerational hardware updates chalks up:
Quest 3 vs. Quest 2 Specs
Quest 3
Quest 2
Resolution
2,064 × 2,208 (4.5MP) per-eye, LCD (2x)
1,832 × 1,920 (3.5MP) per-eye, LCD (1x)
Refresh Rate
90Hz, 120Hz (experimental)
60Hz, 72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz
Optics
Pancake non-Fresnel
Single element Fresnel
Field-of-view (claimed)
110ºH × 96ºV
96ºH × 96ºV
Optical Adjustments
Continuous IPD, stepped eye-relief (built in)
Stepped IPD, stepped eye-relief (via included spacer)
IPD Adjustment Range
53–75mm
58mm, 63mm, 68mm
Processor
Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
Snapdragon XR2
RAM
8GB
6GB
Storage
128GB, 512GB
64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Connectors
USB-C, contact pads for optional dock charging
USB-C
Weight
515g
503g
Battery Life
1.5-3 hours
2–3 hours
Headset Tracking
Inside-out (no external beacons)
Inside-out (no external beacons)
Controller Tracking
Headset-tracked (headset line-of-sight needed)
Headset-tracked (headset line-of-sight needed)
Expression Tracking
none
none
On-board cameras
6x external (18ppd RGB sensors 2x)
4x external
Input
Touch Plus (AA battery 1x), hand-tracking, voice
Touch v3 (AA battery 1x), hand-tracking, voice
Audio
In-headstrap speakers, 3.5mm aux output
In-headstrap speakers, 3.5mm aux output
Microphone
Yes
Yes
Pass-through view
Yes (color)
Yes (B&W)
MSRP
$500 (128GB), $650 (512GB)
$300 (128GB), $350 (256GB)
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Connect 2023 kicks off today, taking place September 27th and 28th at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters. There’s been a ton of news already, so make sure to follow along by heading to our main page for all of the latest in Meta’s XR stuff.
Meta’s annual Connect developer conference is kicking off today, which comes along with the big keynote about all things XR.
The company is undoubtedly getting ready to serve up a big info drop about Quest 3, its $500 mixed reality headset, but for all of the in-betweens we’ll be tuning in today, September 27th at 10 AM PT (local time here).
The invite-only dev conference is taking place on September 27th and 28th at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters, making for the first year it’s had a real in-person component since COVID-19 shut down basically all live events starting in early 2020.
You’ll be able to watch it live via Meta’s Facebook page. IGN is also livestreaming the keynote via YouTube, linked below.
The opening keynote is likely set to take the usual 1.5 hours, which means we’re in for an avalanche of news surrounding Quest 3, the $500 mixed reality headset that may even release today (tune in to find out).
There are also a host of developer talks scheduled, including main stage presentations from Chief Scientist at Reality Labs Michael Abrash, CTO and head of Reality Labs Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, and a host of day-two talks. Check out the schedule on the Connect 2023 website for more.
We’re also sure to get the usual slate of game announcements to go along with whatever Quest 3 info there is, so we’re hoping content is going to be a big focus as the company announces launch plans for it first mixed reality headset for consumers.
Whatever the case, this will probably begin Meta’s era of one-upmanship against Apple, which revealed its Vision Pro mixed reality headset, which is set to arrive sometime in early 2024.
Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss, the 1v1 battler from Polyarc launched into early access late last month, is releasing a new character today which aims to “hook” players into returning for more tactical rat-bashing action.
Revealed last week, new champion ‘Mojo’ is now available for players on Quest, which for now is the only platform with an open beta.
Polyarc says can wishlist Glassbreakers now on Steam, with a planned open beta release slated to arrive sometime in October.
Mojo (aka ‘MJ22’) brings a few new ranged abilities to the 1v1 real-time battler, such as the ‘Free Hugs’ ability which lets Mojo launch a hook attack to pull the opposing squad’s Champions in towards them.
Leveling up, the hook not only launches farther, but it also applies a slowing effect to enemies. Besides grabbing enemies, Mojo’s hook can also snag high-priority targets that the other squad is trying to protect.
The studio announced it’s also hosting a special ‘Quest for the Chest’ event from now until October 5th, which is boosting the speed at which players level up their weekly chests. What’s more, for the next two weeks the top-tier chests will contain “extra special rewards including a chance at never-before-seen masks and emblems for players and their squads,” Polyarc says.
The game is slated to make the transition from App Lab game to the Quest Store proper early next year.
To follow along with progress, take a look at the game’s Trello board to see how events are shaping up, and how bug fixes are coming along.
