Bad news for owners of the first Meta Quest VR headset, released in 2019, when the company was still called Facebook and the device was known as the Oculus Quest. According to IGN, Meta has sent an email to owners of the headset informing them that “the company will not be releasing any new future features for the device.” It therefore means that Meta Quest 1 will not receive any future support. However the company did know that software and security patches will continue to be updated until next year.
The first Oculus Quest headset was released in May 2019, priced at 449€.
No more support for Meta Quest 1 – what does it mean?
The end of headset support means that, for headset owners, it will no longer be possible to access all the features and services that will require system updates. IGN reports that from 5 March 2023 Quest owners will no longer be able to access all social features of Meta Horizon Home. Users will also not be able to invite people to their virtual home (or, conversely, visit friends).
The news comes less than a month after John Carmack, pioneer of Meta’s VR expansion, left the company. Carmack left Meta not without a touch of criticism in his words. After resigning he wrote:
“We have a ridiculous amount of people and resources, but we are constantly sabotaging ourselves and wasting effort. There is no way to sweeten it. I think our organization is operating half as effectively as would make me happy. Some may scoff and argue that we’re doing just fine, but others will laugh and say, “Half?” Ah! I’m one-quarter efficiency!’