Meta has introduced a new VR subscription called ‘Meta Quest+’ to give gamers access to VR experiences.
The subscription starts at $7.99 a month with a $59.99 annual option, delivering two VR titles per month. The game model is similar to one employed by more established gaming companies, Sony and Microsoft. Both offer free games as part of their PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold subscription packages. Every month you stay subscribed, Meta will deliver two VR games to play.
The physical action-rhythm first person shooter Pistol Whip and the arcade adventure game Pixel Ripped 1995 are the first two offerings for July. Meanwhile on deck in August is Walkabout Mini Golf and MOTHERGUNSHIP: FORGE. The subscription works just like PlayStation Plus, where you’ll need an active subscription to enjoy games you redeemed in the past.
Users can cancel the subscription any time, but they will lose access to subscription games unless they purchase them. However, if a user rejoins Meta Quest+, they instantly regain access to their past game titles. The new subscription model is available for owners of the Quest 2 and Quest Pro headsets, and the service will be forward-compatible with the Quest 3 headset. The Quest 3 launch will likely include a subscription bundle of some sort to entice users to have instant access to new games every month.
Part of what makes the Xbox strategy so appealing is the bundle that includes a year of GamePass Ultimate. 24 guaranteed games over the course of a year is a more exciting prospect than ‘maybe’ purchasing one or two games over the course of the VR headset’s life. For now, it remains to be seen if the VR subscription model will pay off. VR games have yet to find breakthrough mainstream appeal, largely because of space requirements for enjoying the technology.