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Since late 2024, Microsoft has been rapidly reshaping what it means to “play on Xbox.” No longer confined to stationary consoles like the Xbox One or Series X|S, Xbox’s evolving vision of accessibility and device-agnostic play has taken bold new steps, from streaming on Samsung TVs to Android phones. But the latest milestone—the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition—marks Xbox’s first real dive into the world of virtual reality.
Yet while the hardware is here, one major ingredient is conspicuously absent: a true Xbox-exclusive VR game.
The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition: A Cool Gadget With Familiar Guts
Launched in partnership with Meta, the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is a visually striking limited-edition headset that wraps Xbox’s iconic Carbon Black and Velocity Green branding around Meta’s latest VR tech. It includes:
- Meta Quest 3S 128 GB Headset
- Meta Quest Elite Strap
- Two Meta Quest Touch Plus Controllers
- Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller (Black and Green)
- 3 Months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
- 3 Months of Meta Horizon+
At $399.99 USD, it’s $100 more than the standard 3S, but comes with enough extras to help justify the price for fans of both brands.
More importantly, this headset is a statement: Xbox is serious about expanding beyond the box. With full Xbox Cloud Gaming integration, users can stream console games like Avowed and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered directly to the headset, with cross-save and cross-play functionality that ties seamlessly into Xbox consoles, PCs, and mobile devices.
Where Are the Games, Xbox?
While the headset is sleek and the cloud functionality is powerful, the launch falls flat in one department—original VR content.
There is no Xbox-exclusive VR game bundled or announced alongside the release of the headset.
Compare this with PlayStation’s PSVR and PSVR2 rollouts: Sony knew that content sells hardware. They launched with titles like PlayStation VR Worlds, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, and Horizon Call of the Mountain—all first-party efforts that pushed the platform and showed players what it could do.
Xbox has yet to offer anything close.
Why Xbox Needs a Killer VR App
Exclusive games have always been key to platform success. Halo made the original Xbox a contender. Mario Kart continues to help Nintendo dominate sales. In a niche market like VR, Xbox’s reliance on cross-platform cloud gaming, while convenient, doesn’t give early adopters a reason to choose this headset over others—especially those who already own a Meta Quest 3.
The headset may say “Xbox,” but without playing like Xbox in a meaningful, standout way, it risks being seen as little more than a rebrand.
Hope for the Future?
Despite the underwhelming launch content, Xbox’s move into VR could be laying groundwork for something bigger. With the infrastructure now in place on Meta devices, it’s possible we’ll see Xbox Game Studios begin crafting VR-first or VR-compatible titles. Games like Starfield, Flight Simulator, or Hellblade II could provide strong foundations for VR experiences if properly adapted.
And with the ROG Xbox Ally handheld also on the horizon, Microsoft appears to be taking a Nintendo-style approach to versatility—just without Nintendo’s killer first-party lineup.
Final Verdict
The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is a promising step forward for Xbox’s long-term ambitions. But without exclusive content, it’s a flashy accessory—not a system seller.
If Xbox wants to compete in the VR space the way it has in console and cloud, it needs to do what it did in 2001: launch a groundbreaking exclusive that defines what “playing on Xbox” really means.
Until then, the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is just a headset with great colors—and a lot of untapped potential.
📢 What do YOU think? Would an Xbox-exclusive VR game make you buy this headset? Let us know in the comments below or join the discussion at discord.gg/xdg.
