Highlights
- Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) is now available on Meta Quest headsets, expanding the gaming options for VR users.
- Meta Quest 3 is the latest VR headset from Meta, offering improved resolution, refresh rates, and processors.
- The Xbox Cloud Gaming app requires an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, recommended internet speeds, and a compatible controller to play games on Meta Quest headsets.
Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) is now available on Meta Quest headsets. Meta is currently leading the charge in virtual reality with the well-reviewed Meta Quest 3 headset, which was released earlier in the fall. The family of VR headsets already features an excellent library of native titles, but the addition of Xbox Cloud Gaming adds another collection of games for a monthly fee.
While there are other great headsets out there, like the PlayStation VR 2, for example, some of the best VR games are exclusive to Meta systems. Titles like Assassin’s Creed Nexus, Robo Recall, and Resident Evil 4 VR can only be experienced on the Meta family of VR headsets. Now, the ecosystem looks to get even better with the help of Microsoft.
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Via Meta’s official blog, the company announced that the Xbox Cloud Gaming app is currently available on Meta Qest 2, 3, and Pro headsets after the latest software update. While the app itself is free to download, the games on the Cloud Gaming app still require an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and recommended internet speeds of at least 20Mbps. Additionally, a compatible controller is also required to play on the virtual screen projected through the headset. What is not required, however, is a TV or an Xbox console.
The Xbox Cloud Gaming app, which is available but still technically in beta, features hundreds of games including big fall releases such as Starfield and Forza Motorsport. The streaming technology comes bundled together with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which is currently being offered for $16.99 a month. 14-day trials are also available for just $1, for those who would simply like to try the service out. Currently, the Meta Quest headsets support Xbox, PS4, and Nintendo Switch Pro controllers. Meta adds that support for PS5 controllers will be offered in the future.
This move to add Xbox Cloud Gaming to Meta Quest is the next step in Microsoft’s plans to bring Game Pass to “every screen” possible, even though Xbox head Phil Spencer later clarified these statements don’t necessarily include Nintendo and PlayStation. Still, Meta Quest headsets join the ever-growing list of platforms that support Game Pass.
The addition of Xbox Cloud Gaming helps improve some of the best VR headsets currently available. Not to mention, this offers players another option to game in the Xbox ecosystem without purchasing a console or even a television for that matter. Sure, this route still requires the purchase of a VR headset and some peripherals, but it does serve as an additional option for gamers to jump back into some of their favorite Xbox titles.
Meta Quest 3
The Meta Quest 3 is the latest and greatest mixed-reality headset that brings a host of improvements compared to the previous generation. The Quest 3 has higher resolution displays per eye with support for 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates.
It uses a more powerful 2nd generation Snapdragon XR2 processor that is capable of running games like Asgard’s Wrath 2 natively. It comes with a full-color passthrough, improved controllers, and a slimmer form factor.
- Resolution (per eye)
- 2064×2208
- Storage
- 128 GB, 512 GB
- Connectivity
- WiFi 6E, USB Type-C
- Battery Life
- 2-3 hours
- Refresh rate
- 90Hz, 120Hz (experimental)
- Processor
- Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
- RAM
- 8GB
