Highlights
- Microsoft and Meta are teaming up to create a limited-edition Xbox-inspired VR headset for gamers.
- Meta’s new Meta Horizon OS will be available on devices from manufacturers like ASUS and Lenovo.
- The new headset will include an Xbox controller and Xbox Game Pass, marking a turning point for Microsoft in VR integration.
As part of a new partnership, Microsoft is working on a “limited-edition” VR headset capable of running Meta’s new Meta Horizon operating system. This new joint effort will see Meta and Microsoft work together to create a limited-edition Meta Quest device inspired by Xbox, meaning gamers could soon have their own Xbox VR headset.
Virtual Reality is something Microsoft has yet to fully embrace, with competitors like Sony diving head-first into VR technology. For years, fans have wanted Microsoft develop VR tools and devices usable on Xbox, and while these demands went mostly unheard, this new partnership between Microsoft and Meta means fans may soon have their own Xbox-specific VR devices.
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As revealed by Meta, a new Meta Quest device “inspired by Xbox” is now on the way. Microsoft isn’t the only company that is part of this new initiative, with Meta announcing that ASUS and Lenovo are also among the first manufacturers to be able to produce devices for its new Meta Horizon OS. Meta Horizon OS takes the augmented reality technology already used by Meta for Meta Quest and makes it available for other manufacturers. This marks the second big collaboration between Meta and Microsoft, with the two already partnering together to get Xbox’s Cloud Gaming service usable on Meta Quest.
Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced even more details regarding this new joint venture on Instagram, confirming the new headset would include an Xbox controller as well as Xbox Game Pass. This new partnership marks a turning point for Microsoft, with the company finally starting to integrate virtual reality technology into its devices and systems. Meta has highlighted the ability to play games on a large virtual screen as a key selling point for Meta Quest in the past, and it’s likely this feature will still be a core focus for this new device, though the new “limited-edition” headset is expected to offer even more functionality for Xbox gamers.
Details on this new project are scarce, but both Meta and Microsoft are incredibly excited to bring this brand-new product to consumers. “Xbox and Meta teamed up last year to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) to Meta Quest, letting people play Xbox games on a large 2D virtual screen in mixed reality. Now, we’re working together again to create a limited-edition Meta Quest, inspired by Xbox,” stated Meta.
Meta Quest launched back in 2019, with new, improved versions releasing over the last few years. Microsoft has tinkered with augmented and virtual reality in the past, releasing the Kinect for Xbox back in 2010. The Kinect took inspiration from Nintendo’s Wii, with one big exception. Kinect for Xbox did not require any type of motion-sensing controller, with Microsoft developing the device to only require gamers to move their hands and bodies.
Meta Quest 2 128GB
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The Meta Quest 2 is a virtual reality headset created by the Facebook parent company Meta. It is a portable device with a wireless headset and two controllers. This version of the headset comes with 128 GB of internal storage for apps and games.
