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Meta has always been quite reserved about revealing the exact number of VR headsets it manages to sell. However, one way to gauge the platform’s success is by looking at the download numbers for its essential companion app, Meta Horizon, which is available on Android and iOS devices.
Recently, some interesting data was shared by independent analyst Omdia. It was reported by Game Developer, with a nod to Forbes, that there was a noticeable 27% drop in Meta Horizon app downloads on Christmas Day 2024 compared to the same day in 2023. This date traditionally marks the year’s peak in app downloads.
The chart we have, thanks to Omdia and Sensor Tower, highlights some significant milestones in the history of Meta’s Quest lineup. It notes the launch of Quest 2 in October 2020, which led to record-setting sales the following year. It also marks the introduction of Quest 3 in October 2023, followed closely by the Quest 3S release in October 2024.
Speaking of the Quest 3S, this new mixed reality headset includes the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset and offers full-color mixed reality capabilities. It carries on some aspects of the older Quest 2, like its displays and chunkier Fresnel lenses. For those with a budget of $300, the Quest 3S is an excellent choice. However, if you can stretch to $500, the Quest 3 is highly recommended.
Yet, these numbers don’t tell the complete story. Re-downloads, updates, or downloads on new devices under an existing account are not captured in the chart. Users upgrading from a Quest 2 to a Quest 3S, for instance, would not affect these figures.
Moreover, Game Developer points out that second-hand sales, headset sharing, and app downloads by non-owners who just want to browse the app store, can all skew these numbers.
Another insight comes from third-party retailers. According to data from Amazon, as cited by Game Developer, Meta sold over 160,000 Quest headsets in November 2024 across eight countries. This figure marks a 16% decrease from last year’s sales on Amazon. Interestingly, two-thirds of these sales were the Quest 3S, with the remaining sales going to the Quest 3.
On a brighter note, the Quest 3S claimed the top spot as the best-selling console on Amazon US in 2024, surpassing the likes of the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 Pro, and both refreshed versions of the Xbox Series S and X.
Despite the dip in both app downloads and Amazon sales year-over-year, it’s possible this is just a cooling period when contrasted with the Quest 2’s phenomenal performance. According to Omdia’s data, after the Quest 2 launched, Meta more than doubled app downloads in the following year and nearly tripled them by the next Christmas.
It remains to be seen how much momentum Meta can generate for the Quest 3 and Quest 3S. The company’s plans to boost sales include launching exclusive games and offering generous deals, like a $50 discount on the 256GB Quest 3S and bundling it with a free copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial for Quest+.
The burning question is whether this pattern indicates a plateau for the VR market or simply a shift in consumer interests. Either way, Meta’s Quest series still holds the top spot in consumer VR development. But is this lead unassailable? Google might be betting otherwise.
