After forming Facebook Reality Labs earlier this month, Facebook has already decided to roll out a new VR headset with the new, smaller, more powerful Oculus Quest 2. This device will start shipping in October, and will see the Quest lineup taking over the Oculus VR headset business, as the company announced that it is officially killing the Rift line of devices.
Thus, Quest 2 is now your only option, and at $299, it’s not really a bad one. The company has managed to pack more performance in a smaller form, making the whole frame 10% lighter. At just 503 grams, the Quest 2 will be more comfortable for long sessions, which, along with its 2-3 hour battery life, is a much needed addition.
However, the expansion in technology is more than just cosmetic, as the new Quest 2 will have more RAM, a better processor, and a higher resolution display than its predecessor. With 6 GB of RAM, and a Snapdragon XR2 Platform, developers will have more room to play with, and Quest 2 might have exclusive, more realistic programs in the future.
Moreover, with the 72hz 1832×1920 (per eye) Fast-switch LCD and integrated speakers and microphone, the Quest 2 will also provide a much richer viewing experience than the older Oculus Quest.
The company also made another major announcement at today’s event, officially killing off the Rift line of VR headsets-the PC based device, starting early next year. Users will have to tether their Quest headset to a PC using the Oculus Link software. “…we are fully focused on the Quest platform as the best of both worlds for all-in-one and PC gaming, so we will not be making any future Rift or PC-only headsets,” an Oculus spokesperson told TechCrunch. This comes just a few months after Facebook ended the Oculus Go line, meaning that Quest is now Oculus’s only offering.
That being said, Quest looks like it’s coming with a lot of exciting offerings, including a new VR Assassin’s Creed game, a Splinter Cell Game, and even a new Star Wars game. Moreover, there’s also a new VR battle royale, which was announced in today’s event, which looks a lot like Fortnite (down to the building mechanics), but hey, at least it’s something.
