Microsoft Skips VR, Teams With Meta on $400 Quest 3S Xbox

Microsoft unveils the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition, marking the first limited-edition release for Meta's VR headset series.

While Xbox hasn't developed its own virtual reality hardware, the company continues strengthening its partnership with Meta to bring Xbox cloud gaming to VR platforms.

In an official Xbox Wire announcement, Lori Wright, Corporate Vice President of Gaming Partnerships and Business Development, described the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition as "designed specifically for Xbox fans." The bundle is now available for $399.99.

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition Bundle includes:

• Special 128GB Meta Quest 3S in Xbox-themed Carbon Black and Velocity Green
• Matching Touch Plus controllers and limited edition Xbox Wireless Controller
• Elite Strap for enhanced comfort
• 3-month Meta Horizon+ subscription
• 3-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership

While any Xbox controller (including Elite Series 2 or Adaptive Controller) can connect via Bluetooth, the included special edition controller matches the headset's unique aesthetic.

Through the Xbox app on Quest, users can access Xbox Cloud Gaming (included with Game Pass Ultimate). Ultimate members can also stream select owned games outside the Game Pass library via the Stream Your Own Games collection (featuring 100+ compatible titles).

This release aligns with Microsoft's "This is an Xbox" marketing initiative, emphasizing Xbox's platform-agnostic availability beyond traditional consoles.

The limited-edition bundle is now available at meta.com, Best Buy (US), Argos (UK) and EE (UK) with extremely limited stock. Microsoft emphasizes this is a one-time release with no restocks planned.

Microsoft continues avoiding first-party VR hardware development, even as competitors like Sony pursued dedicated VR solutions. In 2019, prior to Xbox Series X/S launch, Phil Spencer stated VR wasn't prioritized due to limited consumer demand.

"We focus on what our community requests, and currently, VR isn't that priority," Spencer explained. "Most gamers seeking VR experiences already have established platforms for that. We observe the market data from PC and other ecosystems."

This position contrasts with Sony's PSVR2 for PlayStation 5, which has since faced challenges in market adoption.