Meta is officially ending support for its original Quest virtual reality headset.
In an email sent to owners of the original Meta Quest, the company announced that it will not be shipping new features to the standalone VR headset. However, the company plans to continue adding software and security patches until 2024.
Meta says that Quest 1 owners will still be able to use their headsets and compatible apps. However, these users will no longer be able to create or join a party. Additionally, original Quest owners will lose access to social features available on Meta Horizon Home beginning March 5. This includes inviting others to your Meta Horizon Home or visiting someone else’s.
The announcement is no surprise, as support for the original Meta Quest appeared to have been winding down in recent months. The clearest example was last July when Meta subsidiary BigBox VR announced that it was ending Quest 1 support for its critically-acclaimed VR battle royale shooter Population One. Although the developer offered Quest 1 owners a refund for Population: One, the caveat was that you had to have purchased the game within the past six months of that announcement.
With Quest 2 support winding down, Meta is still all-in on its VR arm, despite reports of massive losses as the company focuses on the Metaverse. With the release of the Quest Pro last year, along with confirmation that the Meta Quest 3 will launch this year, it will be interesting to see how long it takes before support for the Quest 2 begins to wind down.
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.