Back in October, during the Meta Connect event, Microsoft announced it would be bringing Xbox Cloud Gaming to Meta’s headsets. Now both companies have made good on that promise, meaning you can access Xbox Cloud Gaming services on Meta’s Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro headsets.
Like Xbox Cloud Gaming on other platforms, the Quest version is officially still in beta. So just bear in mind you may not get an absolutely perfect experience. You’ll also need a wireless Xbox-compatible controller and a Game Pass Ultimate subscription to play the game, as you would anywhere else.
Quest support isn’t going to magically turn Xbox games into immersive 3D VR experiences. That’s not how any of this works. But it’ll be more like having a regular TV strapped to your face, albeit larger than you’re probably used to. Plus the added benefit of a little bit of extra immersion thanks to being cut off from outside distractions.
You will have to contend with the fact Quest battery life isn’t the greatest, and you’re looking at 2-3 hours of gameplay at the most. Not that many people will want to stick a headset on for a lengthier period of time, regardless of how comfortable it may be at first.
Quest 3 and Quest Pro headsets also appear to support passthrough capabilities, meaning you can put that larger screen into your own living spaces — assuming you want to.
The Xbox Cloud Gaming app is available from the Meta Quest Store, and a simple download is all you need to get started. Once logged in, and ensuring you have the valid subscription, you’ll be able to play games like Bethesda’s Starfield, Halo Infinite, Grand Theft Auto 5, Lego Star Wars The Skywalker Saga and a bunch more titles too numerous to list here. All without having to pay extra for them, and without having to download them to an Xbox console.
Is it a reason to go out and buy one of Meta’s headsets? Probably not. But if you already have a Meta Quest headset (that isn’t the original), this could prove to be one more reason to strap it on. Though you may want to pick up an Elite Strap with the extra battery pack, to avoid being forced out of your games too early.
