If you’re looking to expand the software library on your Meta Quest 3 or Oculus Quest 2 – but don’t want to break the bank – then you’ll want to take advantage of the Meta Quest Holiday Sale which is live right now.
From now until 11:59 pm PT on January 2 / 7:59 am GMT on January 3, over 175 VR games and apps are up to 60% off.
There are lots of great options on offer, but I’ve gone through the list and selected four of my favorite deals. And if I didn’t own these already I’d be adding them to my Quest 3 and Quest 2 library today.
Honorable mention: Bundles
Bundles are hard to recommend because while they tend to offer bigger discounts than buying the Meta Quest 3 games and apps individually you’re only really saving money if you were planning to buy all the bundled software already.
That said, they’re worth checking out because they all look like decent collections at good prices – though personally I’d pay close attention to the Artful Creations, Quest Favorites, and The Walking Dead packages.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus
That’s right the Assassin’s Creed VR game may have only launched recently but it’s already 20%-off in Meta’s holiday sale – making it just $31.99 / £27.99. If you’ve ever played one of the console games and wished you could step into the shoes of Ezio, Connor or Kassandra now’s your chance.
When I tried this game out I was blown away by what Ubisoft had managed to achieve on the Meta Quest 3. The virtual spaces were full of NPCs and interactable objects, the stealthy combat feels quintessentially Assassin’s Creed, and while there can be the occasional hitch, it generally feels like a true AAA gaming experience on your VR headset.
But before you buy this VR title see if anyone you know has it already. If they do they can give you a referral code that knocks 25% off the price rather than just 20% – they’ll also get some Quest store credit for recommending the game to you.
Painting VR
Painting VR is literally just painting in a VR art studio, but its simple premise makes it no less excellent. And it’s 33%-off in the Meta Quest Holiday sale – making it just $12.99 / £9.99.
There’s a wide variety of painting supplies at your disposal, and in-built web and YouTube browsers so you can find inspiration that’ll help you put them all to use. The canvas can be adjusted to suit your artistic needs, and best of all, you don't have to worry about making a huge mess with the "paint".
Plus if you have a Meta Quest 3 you can bring your virtual art studio into your home using mixed reality. If you find spending a long time in VR disorienting, you want to paint a real-world subject, or you just enjoy the extra immersion that mixed reality can deliver then this is a must-try feature.
The Light Brigade
If you’re a fan of VR shooters, can’t get enough of hardcore roguelikes, or like the sound of a World War One-era grimdark fantasy, then this could be the VR game for you. Best of all it’s currently a third off during the Meta Quest Holiday sale – making it just $16.99 / £12.99.
The gunplay provides some delightfully tense battles as you rush to reload while staring down a horde of enemies, and the bosses, their minions, and the randomly generated dungeons provide a decent level of variety – which is only enhanced by the range of classes you can swap between, each with unique weapons and abilities.
The rogue-like gameplay is perfect for VR players with varying levels of experience. Newcomers who want to take frequent breaks can rest between runs – or take their headset off and relax at the mid-run checkpoints – while VR veterans can blast through several attempts in a session and not get bored.
Also, since the QUets 3’s release the game has had a graphics update and received a mixed reality mode for free to take advantage of the improved hardware. I haven’t tried this out yet, but I won’t say no to new and improved content.
PianoVision
This mixed reality app might be the piano learning software you’ve been waiting for. Just set up your virtual keyboard, pick a song, and you can start learning to play – with the experience relying on hand-tracking to make it feel even more like you’re playing a real piano.
Notes will fly towards the keyboard keys Guitar Hero style so you know what you need to play, but you can still take as long as you need during the practice modes – you won’t be punished if you can’t play at full tempo right away; the notes will sit and wait until they’re played. You can also set the app to teach you one hand at a time to help simplify your practice even more. And if you’d rather learn your own choice of tracks rather than the one included with the MR app, it’s super easy to add more using the free PianoVision desktop client.
The only downside is that while hand-tracking on the Quest 3 is generally fine it can struggle to follow faster and more intricate hand motions accurately. So if you’re looking to advance to anything more complex than the first few training levels you’ll want to invest in a real MIDI keyboard. Connect one to the apps and you’ll get all the benefits of PianoVision’s MR lessons as well as more accurate tracking of what you’re trying to play.
The Meta Quest Holiday sale discount isn’t massive – just $1/£1 off – but at $8.99 / £6.99 I think this app is well worth the cost of entry if you’re interested in expanding your musical skills.
