Latest news with #VR
Gizmodo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Meta's Xbox-Branded Quest 3S Just Sold Out for All the Wrong Reasons
Everyone loves limited-edition stuff. There's Sony's 30th anniversary PS5, or Analogue's many limited edition Pocket handhelds, or— I don't know—the Shamrock f***ing Shake. But there's one type of person who loves limited-edition stuff more than your average consumer, and it's a scalper. For proof of that, see Meta's recently released Xbox-branded Quest 3S. See Meta Quest Xbox Edition at Best Buy In case you missed it, Meta's new limited-edition Quest 3S bundle just recently sold out, which on the surface sounds like a great thing for VR and XR. You may be tempted to say, 'Oh, wow! People really like XR headsets, huh?' But before you do that, it may also be worth taking a short gander at eBay, because the resale market over there paints a slightly more cynical picture. It's full of Xbox-branded Quest 3S bundles, folks—and they ain't just giving them away. This bundle, for reference, retails at $399, and the average price I'm seeing on eBay is about $600, though sometimes a little more or a little less. Here is the sad state of affairs on eBay as of the time of typing these words: The list goes on and on, unfortunately, which tells me one thing: the scalpers had a field day with this thing. And that's just kind of sad. It's not sad that someone would want to make money from reselling a limited-edition gadget—as annoying as scalpers are, I can't blame anyone for having a side hustle in this economy. But it is sad that Meta seemingly didn't do much to preserve its limited-edition Quest 3S for XR nerds who unequivocally deserve first dibs. It's also maybe a little sad—as someone who borders on said XR nerd identity—that the race to being out of stock may not actually be driven by real demand. XR headsets, while not the most crucial gadget in the world, are pretty cool and deserve more shine than they get, in my humble opinion. It would have been nice to see them really break through with a little help from an Xbox marketing gimmick. But as always, the almighty aftermarket prevails. To be fair, I'm sure not all of the sales were scalpers trying to make a buck off the XR headset's rarity. Some people, I presume, bought it because it's a pretty good deal for getting into XR—you get a sleek black headset with Xbox green details, Meta's Elite Strap for your head, and a limited-edition Xbox controller to top it off. Based on the retail price of all of that, this bundle saves you somewhere in the ballpark of $95. Some people bought this bundle because of Xbox, too. Here's one instance in which someone seems to have pulled the trigger on this bundle just for the controller. Honestly… respect. That's much more pure than trying to spin the whole thing around for $200. The idea that someone buys the new Quest colorway just to nab the limited edition Xbox Controller and sell the rest is really comical.. — SadlyItsDadley (@SadlyItsBradley) June 27, 2025Listen, scalpers are an inevitable fact of life nowadays when you're buying any gadget that's even slightly in demand. Like it or not, that's just the world we live in—one colored by bots and dropshipping. But I'd be lying if I said that it wouldn't have been nice to see a little effort on Meta's part to prevent that. It can be done! Just look at the Switch 2 launch. People have been resorting to cartoonish levels of robbery to get their hands on it—that's how in-demand this thing is—but Nintendo, with a little bit of forethought, has kept the scourge of scalpers to a dull roar. I guess Meta probably doesn't care that much either way, though. A sale is a sale, whether it ends up on eBay or on your dorky XR- and Xbox-loving head. Sadly, if you're in the latter camp, it looks like the aftermarket is your only option right now. Thanks, Zuckerberg. Just because you look like a dropshipper doesn't mean you have to act like one. See Meta Quest Xbox Edition at Best Buy
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Meta Quest 3 VR and Batman Bundle at This Price? Don't Wait for Prime Day
The Meta Quest 3 is the most feature-rich affordable VR headset available currently, and it's an easy top choice among users and critics alike. While the new 3S model is cheaper at $299, it simply doesn't offer the same level of performance and features as the standard Meta Quest 3. With a perfect 5 out of 5-star rating from over 2,000 Amazon reviews, this headset is our pick for best immersive gaming and mixed reality. What's great is that the Meta Quest 3 doesn't require a console at all, so you can just use it right out of the box. Right now, the Meta Quest 3 512GB is available at a price of $499, and this is a rare chance to get it with some great extras. With your purchase, you'll receive Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial of Meta Horizon+ at no additional cost. This headset never goes on sale and it's often out of stock due to its popularity (over 10,000 units have been sold in the last 30 days alone). See at Amazon If you're looking for the ultimate mixed reality experience, this headset is for you. It features the Infinite Display with the widest and most immersive field of view of any Quest headset. It comes with a 2064×2208 resolution display for each eye, and delivers realistic graphics that bring every virtual world to life. The 4K resolution delivers stunning detail and vivid color. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform, the graphical performance is twice as powerful as the previous generation so even the most graphically demanding games are smooth and look incredible. With 512GB of storage, you have room for a huge library of games, apps, and media so you'll never have to worry about running out of room. Thin, wireless design is crafted for top-notch comfort, weight-balancing to sit evenly so you can play. You can use your hands to scroll through menus and input on a virtual keyboard or grab the Touch Plus controllers for responsive control and realistic feedback. The headset is designed for safety and sharing too: You can add multiple users, set up parental controls, track daily usage, and assign permissions to the entire family. With the three-month trial of Meta Horizon+ included, you have instant access to a rotating library of games and monthly drops which makes it easy to discover new favorites and keep your experience fresh. If you're looking for the best in VR, don't miss this early Prime Day deal. See at Amazon
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Virtual Reality 2.0: How VR may get another chance in India
Not long ago, virtual reality was mostly seen as a futuristic gaming gimmick. Now? It's gearing up to become a serious part of everyday life in India, across classrooms, hospitals, workplaces, and even cultural experiences. The next generation of VR, or 'VR 2.0,' is here, and it's quietly gaining ground. What's changed? For starters, the headsets themselves. They're no longer clunky, expensive toys for early adopters. Today's VR gear is sleeker, more affordable, and far more comfortable. Higher-resolution displays, smoother motion tracking, and AI integration mean better immersion with less eye strain. Faster internet, thanks to the spread of 5G, is reducing latency and making real-time interaction feel more natural. Global tech giants and Indian startups alike are jumping in with products that speak to local needs. Regional language support and India-specific content are making it more relatable and accessible than ever. Education is one of VR's biggest wins. From government schools in rural districts to private classrooms in metro cities, virtual lessons are turning abstract concepts into interactive experiences. Think: science labs, history walks, or virtual geography tours, without ever leaving the classroom. In healthcare, VR is helping doctors practice complex procedures, supporting patient rehab, and even being used in mental health therapy sessions. Corporate training is getting an upgrade too. Companies are using VR to run safety drills, teach soft skills, or onboard new hires, all in risk-free, simulated environments. Entertainment and travel haven't been left out either. From virtual concert halls to digital tourism that lets you "visit" the Taj or the Louvre from your couch. Indian users are starting to embrace immersive leisure. Government-backed social initiatives are also turning to VR for skill development, community awareness, and remote collaboration, especially in regions with limited physical infrastructure. Of course, not everything is smooth sailing. High costs, patchy internet, and digital literacy gaps, especially in rural areas, are real challenges. But efforts from both the public and private sectors are making headway. Subsidized devices, local partnerships, and content in regional languages are helping bridge the gap. As awareness grows and hardware gets cheaper, VR could become a household tech staple, just like smartphones did a decade ago. Virtual reality in India is no longer just an add-on. It's evolving into a tool that can inform, educate, heal, and entertain. The future is immersive, and India is logging in.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I'm a Mom of 4 & Here's Why I Think a Meta Quest Is a Summer Parenting Must-Have
If you asked me the best part of my day, you might think my answer is a little ridiculous — but I'm not trying to gatekeep, so here is my confession: I'm an almost-45-year-old mother of four, and I am obsessed with my Meta Quest VR headset. (And yes, it's my Meta Quest headset. I actually bought it for my kids, but commandeered it for myself once I figured out how freaking amazing it is.) Before the pandemic, I taught Zumba for 10 years. When the world shut down, so did the dance studio where I taught … and at first, I floundered. I needed some sort of physical activity in my life, but I'm admittedly not a gym person; if I'm gonna stick to something, I need something that feels fun and empowering — not like a workout, but like I'm building some sort of skill and getting a workout in the process. So I started playing Just Dance on my kids' Nintendo Switch, which I still love. I played it religiously for years, buying each new iteration of the game. But by December of last year, I was ready to incorporate something new. And there was a Meta Quest 3 underneath our Christmas tree — our big 'group gift' for the kids. Little did I know that it would become just as much of a gift to me! More from SheKnows This Teen Organized a Roblox Protest Against ICE For Other Kids Who Were Too Young Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you'll love as much as we do. Meta is a SheKnows sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale. I discovered the Meta Quest VR game Supernatural: Unreal Fitness during Christmas break, and OMG. I am dead serious when I tell you that six months in, I try not to miss a single day of Supernatural, with the exception of a few days here and there when I'm sick or busy (or, let's be real, just feeling lazy). It has two types of workouts: boxing, and flow, which is a lower-intensity session where you hit targets with sabers (if you've ever played Beat Saber, it's kinda like that). Both boxing and flow are set to music, and you can find a playlist for every type of taste: country, rap, EDM, rock, whatever moves you. You can also choose your intensity, so you can challenge yourself without feeling overwhelmed. It's also an amazing workout — I consider myself physically fit, having worked out almost-daily for the better part of two decades, but it still leaves me standing in a puddle of sweat that I have to mop up with my T-shirt between rounds (hey, I didn't say I look glamorous doing it). Best of all, it's leveled up the muscle definition in my arms to a degree that nothing else ever has — which I didn't expect, but is obviously a huge bonus. $499 Buy Now I also love that there's a community attached to Supernatural. In the game and the app, you can track your progress and cheer on others' progress, which helps keep me motivated and accountable. You can do a group workout if you want to switch things up (I do at least one of those every day). And I love every single one of the coaches — Coach Doc, Coach Leanne, Coach Raneir, Coach Mindy, Coach Mark, and Coach Dwana. They each bring their own style and brand of encouragement to their workouts. I totally fangirled the other day when I messaged Coach Leanne on Instagram and she actually answered! Squeeee! Of course, as much as I adore Supernatural (you know, in case you couldn't tell) it's not the only thing I love about the Meta Quest. No matter what you're playing, it's a completely immersive environment, like you're standing in the middle of some cool, exotic locale, and it's absolutely breathtaking. I've 'been to' the Erta Ale volcano in Ethiopia, Chile's Atacama Desert, Iceland's Blue Lagoon, the Great Wall of China, and more — and that's just in Supernatural. But I've also sat in a secluded cartoon cave, where lush foliage sparkling with water droplets adorns the walls, and the only sound is the tranquil pond around me — and on a sunny beach surrounded by softly rustling palm trees. Those locales are in my other favorite VR game, Bait!, which is an animated game where your mission is to catch certain types of fish — it's oddly relaxing, but when I want to liven things up a little, I can compete with my kids in multiplayer mode (on the other Meta Quest headset I bought them when I stole theirs). And when I want to take my relaxation seriously, there's Tripp: a super-immersive meditation app that has the coolest guided meditations, breathing and focus exercises, and just really amazing virtual spaces that take 'zoning out' to the next level. But, I'm also a mom whose kids are home for the summer, and as much as I love using the Meta Quest to completely check out, there are also times when I need to answer important questions like 'Who's at the door this time?!' and 'What was that bang?' and 'Why do I smell burning?!' Which is why the Meta Quest's 'passthrough mode' is a busy mom's bestie — you can literally just tap on the side of the headset when you need to see what's going on in the real world, and get a real-time view of what's happening in your surroundings without even taking off the headset. Of course, I do have to share 'my' Meta Quest — because my kids love playing as much as I do, and yes, even my teenagers still enjoy it. That's another reason I'm such a fan: It may technically be a screen, but it gets them up, moving, and connecting — with each other, and even with their long-distance friends back in Iowa, where we used to live. I say 'no' to a lot of things, but when my kids ask for a new Meta Quest game, they know their odds are pretty good. Is that because I'll probably end up playing it more than they do? … Well, the odds of that are pretty good too. Best of SheKnows Bird Names Are One of the Biggest Baby Name Trends for Gen Beta (& We Found 20+ Options) These Are the 36 Celebrities with the Most Kids 15 Celebrity Parents Whose Kids Went to Ivy League Schools
Digital Trends
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
3 PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (June 27-29)
The last weekend of the month is always a little awkward as a PlayStation fan. We know what new PlayStation Plus games are coming next week, but we still have this weekend to fill before they arrive. A lot of us will be enjoying a nice, long adventure in Death Stranding 2, but those who aren't into that style of game aren't out of luck. I'm digging into the backlog a bit here, but for good reasons. I hand-picked these games for you all this weekend, each for a different reason, but as a happy coincidence, they all share a bit of a dark theme. That isn't to say they're all horror games (though one of them sure is) because I always make sure to give you a good spread of genre options. I won't waste any more time and hit you with the best PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard This month we got the official news of Resident Evil: Requiem coming early next year from Capcom. This franchise has been on a roll ever since Resident Evil 7: Biohazard gave the franchise a soft reboot with a new protagonist and first-person perspective that returned the series to its horror roots. To this day, this is one of the most terrifying games you can play, especially if you're brave enough to try it in VR. But, it has been almost a decade now since it came out so a lot of people may have missed it or may not remember it all that well. While nothing major, some eagle-eyed fans have already spotted some foreshadowing about Requiem in 7 that may hint at more clues waiting to be found. If not, this is still just a fantastic horror game worth your time. Recommended Videos Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Mobile, and PC. Control: Ultimate Edition Last week, I recommended FBC: Firebreak as one of the games you should play. While I don't regret that, it is clear the game doesn't have the legs right now to sustain itself, nor the level of storytelling Remedy fans typically come to the studio for. If you fall into that category, you can always return to the Oldest House as we first knew it with Control: Ultimate Edition. This game holds up fantastically well from a gameplay perspective, plus it has all the creative and weird documents and videos you can handle that flesh out this bizarre universe. If you only played the game at launch, this version comes with both major DLCs, including the one that ties directly into Alan Wake 2. Considering Control 2 appears to be the next chapter in this shared Remedy universe, it never hurts to refresh yourself on Jesse's first day as FBC director. Control: Ultimate Edition is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC. Twisted Metal 2 I'm jumping on this one early, but for two reasons. First, the second season of the show is set to premiere at the end of next month and that's always a fun excuse to return to the source material. Second is that we already know Twisted Metal 3 and Twisted Metal 4 will be added to PlayStation Plus in July so this is the perfect chance to play the earlier titles before they hit. Twisted Metal 2 is still considered one of the best entries in the series and a major step up from the first. It is pure chaotic fun as a car combat game, which is sadly a genre that has all but disappeared in modern times. The various stories are dark and twisted in a way that could only be made in the mid-'90s and is all the better for it. Twisted Metal 2 is available now on PS4 and PS5.
