Meta Announces Xbox-branded Quest 3S

• Meta and Xbox launch their first limited-edition Quest headset, bundled with extras and priced at $399.99.

• Includes exclusive Xbox-themed hardware, controllers, and 3 months of Game Pass Ultimate and Horizon+.

• Supports Xbox Cloud Gaming with cross-progression, letting players stream and sync saves across VR, console, and PC.

Meta and Xbox jointly revealed the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition on June 24, the first limited-edition Quest headset. The bundle retails at $399.99 and is available immediately via Meta’s website, Best Buy (US), Argos, and EE (UK).

The package includes:

• A 128 GB Meta Quest 3S headset in Xbox’s signature Carbon Black with Velocity Green accents

• Matching Touch Plus controllers

• A limited‑edition Xbox Wireless Controller, pre-paired with the headset

• A Meta Quest Elite Strap

• 3 months of Meta Horizon+

• 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

The edition has the same hardware specifications as the standard Quest 3S. The headset includes the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 system-on-chip, 8 GB RAM, dual-color passthrough cameras, and 128 GB storage. 

The headset supports Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta). Players with Game Pass Ultimate can stream over 100 titles, including Xbox’s latest first-party titles like South of Midnight, Avowed, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, to the Quest 3S Xbox Edition via the Xbox app. With cross‑progression, players will be able to retain saved data and achievements when transitioning between VR, console, or PC.

Meta emphasized that this is the first time an Xbox controller is bundled with a Quest headset, though any Xbox Wireless or Elite controllers can be paired via Bluetooth. Additionally, Meta has reportedly tweaked the headset’s setup UI to reflect Xbox’s carbon-black and green palette and auto-launch the Xbox app on first boot.

At $399.99, the edition is priced between the entry-level Quest 3S (128 GB for $299) and the higher-tier Quest 3 (from $499). As a limited run, the Xbox Edition aims to capitalize on the growing convergence of console gaming and mixed reality streaming.

From a strategic standpoint, this collaboration deepens Meta’s integration with Xbox’s cloud services and Game Pass ecosystem. It aligns with Microsoft’s “Play Anywhere” initiative, which aims to extend Xbox’s reach beyond traditional hardware into immersive mixed‑reality formats. By bundling three months of Game Pass Ultimate for new and existing subscribers, Microsoft secures immediate user engagement.

For Meta, the Xbox-branded release acts as a high-profile marketing vehicle that may attract Xbox loyalists to adopt Quest hardware. Limited-edition aesthetic differentiation (with custom UI skinning) adds perceived value. Importantly, positioning the bundle price at $400 nudges consumers up the value chain. They’re incentivized to trade up from basic headsets or choose Quest 3S over Quest 2 alternatives.

However, the limited supply may restrict broader adoption. Xbox Corporate Vice President Lori Wright said 'Quantities are extremely limited. Once they're gone, they're gone.'

Moreover, long-term retention of users will depend on continued content depth in VR as well as stable performance of cloud-streamed titles. The strategic bet here hinges on whether Microsoft’s cloud gaming experience can meet quality expectations in VR’s variable connectivity scenarios.