Meta's First Ever Limited Edition Quest Headset is an Xbox

Meta and Microsoft have jointly announced the sale of a strictly limited Xbox special edition of Meta Quest 3S. This is the first time Meta has released a special edition of one of its headsets. For Microsoft, the partnership fits in with the Xbox Play Anywhere and This is Xbox concepts.

Technically speaking, the special edition is a custom 128GB Meta Quest 3S, except that it is designed in Xbox Carbon Black and Velocity Green. The package, which Meta and Microsoft are releasing for just under £350, also includes matching Touch Plus controllers, a limited edition Xbox Wireless Controller, Elite Straps and three months of Meta Horizon+ and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate content services.

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is thus the logical continuation of the partnership between Microsoft and Meta, which began with the release of the Xbox app on Meta. Microsoft has been pursuing an Xbox Play Anywhere approach for some time now, which means that the Xbox platform is not tied to specific hardware – i.e. the Microsoft console – but is compatible with many different devices thanks to streaming and cloud technologies. The This is an Xbox campaign, which visually displays the various platforms on which Xbox games can be played, also fits into this concept.

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is, in a sense, a further development of this campaign that has become a product. After all, the offer is strictly limited and, at least as far as sales through retail partners are concerned, is currently still limited to Best Buy (USA), Argos (UK) and EE (UK). All remaining batches will be marketed via meta.com.

Incidentally, it is unclear whether the special edition also represents a paradigm shift for Meta. After all, this is the first time Meta has launched one of its headsets in a limited special edition. With consoles, on the other hand, hardware-software bundles are a popular way to give demand a new boost time and again.