(Credit: Will Greenwald)
Meta is offering replacement VR headsets after a botched software update bricked some Meta Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest 3S headsets.
"We discovered a software update issue that caused some Quest 2/3/3S headsets to be unresponsive and unable to start up correctly," a community manager wrote in a forum post today. "We are actively working on resolving the issue for all users, but in most cases, you are now able to use your device normally."
The post doesn't specify which version of the software caused the problem. On Dec. 9, Meta announced Quest v72 with a "new (faster) way of pairing your Quest and PC for remote desktop access, lets you use keyboard tracking with any keyboard, improves hand tracking and makes it more responsive, adds captions to calls through the People app, and more."
A few days earlier, however, Meta acknowledged on X that "some new Meta Quest 3S devices are having trouble with the initial software update."
Those with older devices encountered trouble, too, which was particularly annoying for those opening up new VR headsets on Christmas Day. Devices that required software updates upon setup were suddenly bricks.
If you have an unresponsive Quest 3S, head to this link. According to RoadToVR, those who sign in with their Meta credentials are told: "If your device is affected by the issue, we’ll send you a replacement Quest device at no cost to you. We’ll also issue you Horizon Store credit as a token of our commitment to supporting you."
Initially, some with older Quest devices were told they were out of luck because the gadgets were out of warranty. But Meta appears to have reversed course there, according to Reddit posts.
"Quest 2 or 3 users, please reach out to us to get support. Thank you for understanding," Meta says in the forum post.
Meta Quest 1 devices are no longer receiving software updates.