Meta Platforms has launched a videogame subscription service, Meta Quest+, in an attempt to compete with Apple in the virtual reality market. The $7.99 monthly service comes with two games that are handpicked by Meta every month. Customers can play the selected games as long as their subscription is active, with the service available on Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro VR headsets. Customers can also pre-pay for a year at $59.99. The service is similar to Sony’s PlayStation Plus Essential offer, which provides select free games every month, but not a larger game library. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Game Pass offers a larger selection of popular videogames for $9.99 a month. The videogame subscription market is still developing as blockbuster games are expensive and time-consuming to create.
The VR War Heats Up: Meta vs Apple
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has made significant strides in the world of virtual reality (VR) and VR games. With the acquisition of companies such as Oculus (a headset maker), Beat Games, and Camouflaj (software makers), combined with billions of dollars in mixed-reality investments, Meta has solidified its position as a VR leader. However, despite this success, Wall Street has yet to be impressed. Investors have shifted their attention to artificial intelligence and cost-cutting initiatives in recent years, showing little interest in the “metaverse” trend that CEO Mark Zuckerberg was pursuing when he rebranded the parent company as Meta in 2021.
In addition to Wall Street’s skepticism, Meta will soon face its most formidable challenger in the VR space to date. Apple recently revealed its Vision Pro mixed-reality device and announced plans to launch the $3,500 headset early next year. Unlike Meta’s emphasis on gaming, Apple has focused its marketing on other forms of entertainment and productivity features.
The virtual reality space is heating up, and the competition between industry heavyweights is sure to intensify. Only time will tell who comes out on top.
