Microsoft and Meta have collaborated on a special edition VR headset, the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition. The limited edition bundle, which includes a black and green headset alongside matching accessories, is on sale now for $400.
While the collaboration is a first for Meta, it’s part of an emerging trend for the Xbox brand. Earlier this month, Microsoft partnered with Asus to create a new version of its ROG Ally designed around Xbox Game Pass. The Meta Quest 3S follows that same trend, with a custom visual treatment and more direct integration into the Game Pass ecosystem and its cloud streaming feature.
The bundle contains a standard 128GB Meta Quest 3S. The differences between this version and the regular model are largely cosmetic. The Xbox Edition features a Carbon Black and Velocity Green design rather than the traditional white look of Meta’s headsets. The included Touch Plus controllers have gotten a similar facelift, with green accents on buttons and around the joysticks. The package also comes with an Xbox Wireless Controller with those same color touches.
It all comes with two notable extras. For one, it includes an Elite Strap, which retails for $70 on its own. That makes the Quest 3S Xbox Edition more comfortable and customizable out the box. It also includes three free months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Ahead of its release, Digital Trends has been putting the headset through its paces to see how it stacks up with a normal Meta Quest 3S. There aren’t any differences in terms of power, but the setup process does make it much easier to connect the included Xbox controller right away and sign into my Game Pass account. Within minutes, I had gotten everything connected and was continuing my playthrough of The Alters via cloud streaming. That last part is the obvious caveat here, as the headset does not play Xbox games natively. I’ve been spending a lot of my time playing Rematch that way, using the headset’s theater mode to create a big picture experience.
Is there any reason to upgrade if you already have a Meta Quest 3S? No, but it’s a solid bundle for anyone who has yet to take the plunge into VR. The included Elite Strap is an instant upgrade, the color scheme is much cooler than the standard Quest in my humble opinion, and adding in a controller is a nice touch. Sure, it isn’t really a proper Xbox version of the PlayStation VR2, but it’s about as close as I expect Microsoft to get for now.
The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition is on sale now for $400.
