quest-pro-vs-quest-2 — Based on images courtesy Meta

Meta Has Sold Nearly 20 Million Quest Headsets, But Retention Struggles Remain

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Mar 1, 2023

Meta has sold nearly 20 million Quest headsets, but the company continues to struggle with keeping customer using VR.

According to a report by The Verge, citing an internal Meta presentation held today, the company has sold nearly 20 million Quest headsets. This likely includes Quest 1, Quest 2, and Quest Pro, though by all accounts Quest 2 appears to be the vast majority. And while the figure wasn’t publicly announced, this would be the first official confirmation of Quest unit sales from the company.

This info was shared by Mark Rabkin, Meta’s VP of VR, during an internal presentation to “thousands” of employees, according to The Verge.

And while the 20 million unit Quest sales figure is impressive—and well beyond any other single VR headset maker—Rabkin went on to stress that the company has to do a better job at keeping customers using the headsets well after their purchase.

“We need to be better at growth and retention and resurrection,” he said. “We need to be better at social and actually make those things more reliable, more intuitive so people can count on it.”

'Gorilla Tag' Developer Reveals First Glimpse of Ambitious New Game

Curiously, Meta’s latest wave of headset customers are less enthusiastic than those that bought in early.

“Right now, we’re on our third year of Quest 2,” Rabkin said, according to The Verge. “And sadly, the newer cohorts that are coming in—the people who bought it this last Christmas—they’re just not as into it [or engaged as] the ones who bought it early.”

The report from The Verge includes more info about the company’s XR roadmap, which you can read in full here.

ViRGiN

SteamVR cried when they saw latest hardware survey.
- Tommy
  
  SteamVR doesn’t care which headset is being used. They get their 30% from each game whether it’s played using a Quest or a Pimax, or whatever.
  - ViRGiN
    
    30% of PC transactions, while missing out on 30% of the billions worth for mobile market. They never stepped beyond their PC borders. They don’t have any presence on Android, iOS, or mobile VR market. Of course they don’t need to; they will survive long time regardless, but Valve is nothing but yet another safe seating boring company.
    - Tommy
      
      That’s all I need them to be. A place to store my digital games. I don’t really care what else they do.
      - ViRGiN
        
        Digital hoarding is Steam invention. Majority of older console owners got rid of their games and got some of their money back, or even made some extra. That often continues with physical releases for Xbox/Playstation, but it is entirely not even an option for PC players. This is digital trash, with no way to sell your own “belongings”.
    - JakeDunnegan
      
      How exactly would they even get on Android or iOS? With a company as large as Amazon (hint: hugely larger than Valve) and who even made their own phone, and has had an “app store” around for over a decade – and their footprint on Android is smaller today than it was 5 years ago.
      
      And iOS is even more notorious than Google is when it comes to protecting their precious app store.
      
      So, not sure how Steam would magically get a bunch of people to install their app and then sell on their store, when they’d have to side load it, like Amazon’s store had to do, and they already charge the same amount that iOS and Google do on their stores.
    - LMAO
      
      Ignorant troll alert!.
iNCEPTIONAL

That’s a solid numbers sold.
Tommy

That is a sh!tload of headsets. Impressive.
Bartholomew

Sony fanboys: “Trust me, Sony will also dominate the VR market”.

Sony: 5 million PlayStation VR units sold.

Meta: 20 million Quest units sold.

LMAO.
- ViRGiN
  
  i’m not sure i agree. i have never met sony fanboys since 2016 when it comes to vr. the playstation ‘fans’ rather did not believe in vr at all, rather than claim it’s going to dominate vr. of those fans, some were curious about vr and bought an accessory for their existing console. they had their fun, some got their money worth out of it, some don’t. there never was any overlap with pcvr/quest market at all; quest wasn’t even a thing for 3+ years after psvr released. although severly limited in tracking; i would never consider it true vr; it done well for what it offered.
  
  once again, psvr2 is not a competitor to quest, but it is a pcvr replacement. hopefully this time around, there will be no reasons to scream “PSVR2 is dead” like it has always been a case with PCVR.
  - Andrew Jakobs
    
    Psvr2 is still also no PCVR replacement, until maybe someone will create a working driver.
    - ViRGiN
      
      Nobody gives a fuck about your 1% of missing PCVR features such as flat2vr mods that interest nobody, but people disappointed with native VR.
      Go f yourself.
      - LMAO
        
        Ignorant troll alert !.
      - Shaitan
        
        Shhh … we have entered the territory of the VR Incel, also called a VRgin. These solitary and easily startled creatures live on the fringe of human society, scavenging what bits of VR news and info they can gleam. It is a strange creature, apparently endangered as it has no ability to find others of its species, nor the ability to mate when it does find one (see also CaryMGVR). Contrary to popular belief, the VRgin has no actual defensive capabilities but will instead taunt and scream at its adversaries until they leave its territory in sheer annoyance. Tolerated by few other creatures in the wild, you can recognize the geographical area around a VRgin’s lair by the absolute lack of any other animal nearby. That and piles of cheetos laying around cave entrances. Explorers are highly advised to not engage with this animal, as it has been known to scream and throw its own feces around (covering itself in the process) and has thusly earned its nickname the “Skank Ape” (not to be confused with “Skunk Ape”). Do not approach — do not engage — do not feed.
    - ViRGiN
      
      PSVR2 is the same kind of replacement as MP3 players were to casette walkmans. They didn’t play casettes anymore, but completly replaced it.
      Take your garbage toys, and indulge yourself in your flat nostalgia through keyboard and mouse, alternate eye rendering, and zero interaction with the virtual world.
      - LMAO
        
        Ignorant troll alert!
      - Andrew Jakobs
        
        Did you forget to take your meds or something? as your reply doesn’t make any sense in regard to my answer.
      - ViRGiN
        
        Did you forget to take your meds or something? as your reply doesn’t make any sense in regard to my answer.
    - Gabriel Cash
      
      I disagree. I have a decent spec PC a couple of years old with a HP Reverb headset, I’ve played Flight Simulator a lot and a few other games and playing Gran Turismo 7 on PSVR 2 blows that and every other VR experience I’ve had out of the water. I don’t doubt that if you have a Varjo Aero and a 4090 card you can have better but few can afford that. All it will take is Sony to support the PSVR2 properly and deliver a few premium games like GTA5, God of War, Call of Duty in VR, which it could easily handle, and it could become the leading VR format and win over a lot of new converts.
- Rob
  
  I own both. But the difference between Meta and Sony is that Meta is all in on VR. And also willing to invest more than its short term revenues. Sony is all in on the PS5 but not all in on VR. It is still like half work. Avoiding short term losses. That makes Meta the better bet. Altough sony VR sets look like to have a longer life cycle. The quest 1 is already losing support.
  - Sean Lumly
    
    But invest in what? Meta have spent billions on metaverse, photo-real avatars, ads, hardware, productivity, ui, etc, but actual games have almost exclusively been left to 3rd party studios — often small ones.
    
    Meta doesn’t feel like a game company, they feel like a company that happens to have games on its platform. It’s as if they are trying to replicate the mobile phone/tablet market for VR. If true, it’s a prudent future strategy, and a potentially gigantic market, but perhaps one that targets a different audience than its contemporary core.
    
    Playstation VR 2 is, by contrast, being led by a company that very much feels like their focus is exclusively on games, and curating the experience commensurately. Whether they stick with VR remains to be seen, but it is too early to say one way or the other.
    
    Full disclosure: I too have both PSVR1 and Quest 2, and will be purchasing Quest 3 (I am a VR developer), and PSVR2.
- MOT
  
  You arent comparing like for like though are you?
  
  Sony released psvr1 7 years ago and it was the best selling headset on the market.
  
  Oculus/Meta have released about 6 headsets. Only the latest one the Quest 2 has really taken off.
- Arno van Wingerde
  
  Pretty useless comment: let’s just all see how the PSVR2 will be doing and what games come out for it. After all with it’s 20 million units sold and Meta throwing money at it like there’s no tomorrow not many really strong games exist to date … this could be where Sony can beat them! After all, the PSVR2 has much stronger hardware attached to it, compared to the Quest2 stand alone, yet is way cheaper than a game PC +Quest2 .
- JT
  
  Honestly, get a life!
ElenaSSF

I have an on again off again love affair with my headset. I love the VR games, I like the overall infrastructure and environment of the quest, but I can’t play for more than an hour or 2 before I get a headache. To my mind the real barrier to retention is the physical discomfort in using it. I don’t mean any sense of vertigo, but rather the sheer weight of the headset and the difficulty with glasses.

I hope that when those willing to upgrade with the quest 3 acquire their headsets, the overall user base will grow again via the hand-me-downs from the quest 2
- Arno van Wingerde
  
  I would certainly recommend getting prescription lenses for the Quest2, so you can play without glasses and get a better view as well!
- Gabriel Cash
  
  I had to get lenses for the Quest 2 (google “prescription lenses VR”) but one of the reasons I like the PSVR 2 much more is that you can wear glasses quite comfortably while using it.
TechnoHunter

ONE WORD PER SITUATION:
LANDFILL
HANDMEDOWN
FAB
There is not just not enough VR content to have retention in VR or innovation in standalone headset hardware because of $$$. It has been said over and over again. We are going to be waiting till 2077 or hopefully earlier for the hardware and content we see in SCIFI… for everyone else there is the black market (Mastercard).
ApocalypseShadow

Adding Quest 1,2 and Pro doesn’t mean 20 million Quest 2 headsets sold. It would be easy to just release sales figures. Would be like Sony adding PS4 and PS5 sales together and saying they sold 150 million PlayStations. You’d still want to know how many PS5 systems were sold.

All the tech they speak of for the future, all the pancake talk, but there’s still no big AAA games being released consistently. No updates on Assassin’s Creed or GTA SA.

Good on the fact VR is selling. But don’t be mislead by these figures without context. Because there will be some that think Facebook sold 20 million Quest 2 headsets. And we know that’s not the case.
- ViRGiN
  
  cope harder valve boy.
  how many units do you think both quest 1 and pro sold?
  
  enjoy your dead pcvr, you braindead valve zombie.
  - LMAO
    
    Ignorant troll alert!
  - ApocalypseShadow
    
    Try not to be more ignorant troll.You actually think I’m a PC VR user. How quaint.
    
    Answer the question, where’s the big AAA games at without trying to deflect. That’s when you know when someone has nothing.
    
    All these headset releases to flood the market. Quest 1, 2 Pro, Quest 3 and supposedly a Quest 3 lite and a future Pro 2.
    
    Flooding the market before Apple releases isn’t going to help retention. It’s going to fragment their market. Instead of releasing more and more tech, they need to release more and more games and software instead of relying on indie developers to prop them up because they can’t seem to be consistent on making games themselves. Just milking Beat Saber. And hoping PC users use their cheap headsets on Steam.
    
    When Facebook themselves are worried about their new casual user base that barely uses Quest, you know they are in trouble. Compared to Sony who’s focus is on console VR gaming and more ways to play on PS5. Not to gather data for ads or who you know or are connected to. Like some wack spying company.
    - ViRGiN
      
      Btch please.
      
      “All these headset releases to flood the market.”
      
      What market? They are trying to create one from nothing lol. Get real, and think twice what are you even complaining about. Meta is not a gaming company, and have already done more than anyone would have ever expected. Why are you so obsessed with games? Are you a basement dweller playing games all day long? There magnitude of other use cases of VR, which obviously all flew under your radar.
      - ApocalypseShadow
        
        Lol. And that’s their biggest problem. And you just said it. Admitted it.
        
        “Facebook is not a gaming company.”
        
        It’s gamers who are buying it. It’s their job in doing more for them than using gamers to get to advertising.
        
        The VR market already exists. They are just trying to grow it. But they want to release headsets at different tech levels and prices to somehow fool consumers in their offerings. But they are not offering any games. Casuals don’t care about what they are offering or there would be more consumers outside gaming buying it. Apple’s brand will totally dominate all these releases and no big games. And it won’t even be a gaming headset.
        
        As I suspected, you couldn’t name anything AAA for Quest. Nothing. They have plenty of money. They bought developers. Still nothing but music DLC.
        
        Sony is a console videogame maker. They have a gaming focused headset. They have so many franchises that dwarf Facebook’s game list. Sony could easily bring multiple franchises in VR. And has huge properties like Spider-Man that would pull in the numbers. Do I think PS VR 2 is mainstream. No. But the quality of VR jumped well beyond indie developers playing it safe releasing cheap games for a cheap stand alone headset. It might have great tech in it. But there’s no big games on Quest. Quest Pro is a failure because there’s no software. And you just saw them drop the prices of all their tech because it’s not selling. No one cares about Pro except tech heads looking for a smidgen of visual clarity. No software is killing that expensive piece of trash. And no big games is hurting Quest with no updates on GTA or Creed.
        
        I’d rather support a gaming company with a huge list of potential games and a gaming focused headset than a social media company that doesn’t care at all about games because they aren’t making any consistently.
        
        Only basement dweller is the virgin that rubs everyone the wrong way because they are socially inept. That has a fetish with PC and Valve.
- Arno van Wingerde
  
  I think we know that the vast majority will be Quest2, 75% if not more, so i would guess over 15 million..
  - ApocalypseShadow
    
    Facebook has never reported any sales numbers. Do I think it’s in the millions? Yes. But you already got individuals quoting 20 million when Facebook never reported that either. The company is riding on rumor and hearsay. And has a real problem with player retention because they lack big games produced consistently. Beat Saber music DLC is wearing thin. No updates on GTA or Creed or anything to excite gamers.
    
    Seems pretty easy for a company to just come right out and say it instead of adding them all up. Facebook is like Microsoft. They hide their numbers too in comparison to other products like PlayStation or Switch. Why is that? If they are doing well, just say it. Sony wasn’t afraid to post PSVR numbers. Were they high? Nope. Even though Sony profited on the headset and games, it only sold around 5 million. Maybe more but it really didn’t matter at EOL.
    
    When Sony posts their numbers sold of PS VR 2 launch sales, I want you to look back and ask yourself why Facebook, who’s richer, can’t do the same and just announce numbers. If it’s 15 million Quest 2 headsets, that’s not a bad number to post.
    
    Problem though is that with all those headsets, where are the big games? Because I think they won’t be announcing any until Quest 3. And expect gamers to jump to that one like they jumped from Go to Quest to Quest 2 to some buying Pro and still no big games. The promise will be that Quest 3 has the games and you should buy that. With PS VR 2, you only need one headset for years. And eye tracking makes it future proof to be useful on PS6. And Sony’s gaming background guarantees big games are coming. The difference between a 20 year old RE4 VR and a blurry Grid Legends for stand alone. Compared to GT7 and RE8 at launch. Both PS5 games. With RE4 remake getting VR treatment. Also a PS5 game.
    - Mradr
      
      I think the biggest problem just comes down to the fact they started pushing more game devs to their limited hardware vs just allowing the PC still has a use. The SoC in Quest products is just really limited and other factors making it harder to get into the VR community or the store. Personally, they should’ve just focus on releasing a headset that can do both and promoted both instead of switching to their mobile hardware instead. Same with software – with focus on trying to bring more tools to devs vs having them figure it out by offering products that bring all VR games up to higher values.
      - ApocalypseShadow
        
        This is correct. If they are gunning for the next tech platform that has practical uses, then make software to replace it. Calls, messaging, maps, surfing…basically everything a cellphone does but really gives these apps that VR treatment. Consumers loved Google Earth in VR. Facebook needs stuff like that as a minimum. With no connected phone in the pocket.
        
        And my guess is that Quest 3 will have these pass through AR apps that have cellular function because AR glasses are a ways off. They could make glasses today. But they would be at least $1000 minimum. That’s room tracking, hand tracking, eye tracking, etc. They can’t sell that to the public. Apple could since they have the brand to sell AR glasses and build software that’s easy to use AR. And Apple seems capable of selling $1000 dollar phones easily. I don’t like Apple products. But the facts are that they can sell high priced tech as a status symbol. Facebook doesn’t have that branding.
        
        Virgin mentioned above as a comment with me that Facebook is not a gaming company. But they are selling a product that’s mostly bought by gamers. Same with PC VR gamers. So, there focus on Quest 2 should have been producing games for their headset. If this was Nintendo, we know that games would be the huge focus. Facebook doesn’t seem to have that focus. They seem to ride on the sales of Quest 2 to gamers but really want all consumers in some type of Facebook social VR world that can’t collect your data and make huge profits selling that data to advertisers. Gamers don’t care for advertising. They care about games. The lack of big games tells me they don’t want to be a game company. Only to profit from others making games.
        
        We’ll see soon enough how it all plays out when Quest 3 hits the marketing push and what they want to do with it. But I know they expect gamers to buy it. Better be some hot games to go with it.
gothicvillas

Probably 2 million or less active users
- ViRGiN
  
  probably 2 million more than all steamvr users combined across all 6+ years.
Geogaddi

Well yeah, when the Dr Beef mods are more intriguing than the actual games on the Meta store…they do have a problem.

Love my Quest 2 as a wireless PCVR headset though. Doubt I’ll need any other headset for a long time.
Jonathan Winters III

Because: lack of 2022 new content from Meta. They’re saving the good stuff for Quest 3.
Gabriel Cash

Quest 2 is fine for casual gaming and the occasional decent conversion of a 20 year old game but in terms of what it can do, it’s too far behind a good PC headset or the PSVR 2. Having spent the last week playing Gran Turismo 7 on the Oled display of the latter, I honestly couldn’t go back.
Jamesjr

Retention due to antiquated las gen tech with only games that are experiences not full fledged AAA titles. Quest 3 should address all concerns, pancake state of the art lenses, superior power to all other standalone headsets. Games in development exclusively for the device for 3 or more years. Auto guardian system no more stupid making a square and mapping out furniture. Its funny all the haters glossing over this release talking about Apple and other headsets. This is going to blow up VR most of the world wants to buy this headset. Quest 2 is ancient tech by comparison. Like going from an SNES to a PS4.
JB1968

Fake numbers. Some Verge “journalist” is not official but more of scumm media.
Lucidfeuer

Will there ever be repercussion for officials and journalist sharing false numbers?
Raph

The problem is not in hardware, but in the lack of large games! I often use Quest 2, but… most often for PC VR, for various modifications of Skyrim VR, VR mods for flat games, etc. No need to endlessly release Quests Pro-3-4-5, etc. Just make more big games! And people will be addicted.
By the way, Horizon, in which the Meta invests a lot of money, is still not available in my region! Free Rec Room and 4Chat are available, but big budget Horizon – is not!
I love Quests, but the Meta needs to be much more active in VR content and AAA games.
(I apologize for my English)
Geoff

The things that put me off are:

1. Oculus made it difficult to get others into VR, requires a FB account. Is restricted to 13+ etc Is that still the case?

2. The weight of it. It hurts my head, even with the elite strap.

3. Keep having to set it up after not being on for awhile. Not easy to pass around to friends due to IPD.

4. And the feeling of amazment vanishes after not using it for a day. This one I can not work out. It is certainly ephemeral, then nothing…
Marco Cattaneo

Funny how all the articles claim 400 million Metaverse users. Kind of extremely unlikely given the low sales numbers of the headsets. It seems META is making their billions based on spreading false information.