Meta, known for its cautious approach when discussing headset sales, offers a glimpse into its platform’s reach through the downloads of its companion app, Meta Horizon, available on both Android and iOS.
According to independent analyst Omdia, as reported by Game Developer and Forbes, there was a noticeable drop of 27% in app downloads on Christmas Day 2024 compared to the previous year, historically the pinnacle day for downloads.
The accompanying chart, provided by Omdia and Sensor Tower, correlates these figures with major milestones in Meta’s Quest series releases. It marks the launch of the Quest 2 in October 2020, which set significant sales records, followed by the Quest 3 in 2023, and the more recent Quest 3S in 2024.
For those unfamiliar, the Quest 3S is the latest addition, offering mixed reality features with the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, like the Quest 3, but reverts to older displays and Fresnel lenses from the Quest 2. While it’s a decent pick at $300, if your budget stretches to $500, leaning toward the Quest 3 would be wise.
But before jumping to conclusions, remember that these charts miss out on factors like re-downloads, app updates, or adding the app to extra devices on the same account. They also overlook current Quest users who might be upgrading to the Quest 3S from older devices.
Other elements muddying the direct connection between app downloads and sales figures include the second-hand market, shared devices, and curious non-owners exploring the app’s features.
In lieu of Meta’s elusive official numbers, third-party sales offer another angle. Data from Amazon, seen by Game Developer, indicates Meta moved over 160,000 Quest units across eight countries in November 2024— down 16% from the previous year. Of those, two-thirds were Quest 3S, the rest being the Quest 3.
Interestingly, the Quest 3S topped the Amazon US console sales in 2024, surpassing the likes of the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 Pro, and the refreshed Xbox Series models.
Nevertheless, fewer app downloads and dipping sales on Amazon might hint at waning enthusiasm post-Quest 2, a headset that really set the benchmark. Omdia’s numbers show a significant rise in app downloads following the initial Quest 2 release and a staggering holiday season the next year.
What remains to be seen is how Meta will fuel the momentum for the Quest 3 and 3S, possibly through exclusive games. Encouraging sales, Meta has discounted the Quest 3S 256GB version by $50 to $350, throwing in free access to the well-received Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month stint with Quest+, their gaming subscription service.
Whether these shifts indicate a plateau in the VR landscape or simply a change in consumer behavior is yet unclear. However, the Quest series steadfastly leads in the consumer VR market’s evolution. But could that dominance be under threat? Google, for one, might be keeping an optimistic eye out.
