When it comes to revealing the number of headsets it sells, Meta remains tight-lipped. However, one way to gauge the platform’s popularity is through the fresh downloads of its required companion app, Meta Horizon, which is available on Android and iOS devices.
According to data from independent analyst Omdia, as reported by Game Developer (via Forbes), downloads of the Meta Horizon app decreased by 27% on Christmas Day 2024 compared to the previous year, which historically marks the app’s peak for downloads.
The chart below, provided by Omdia and Sensor Tower, tracks some of the major milestones in Meta’s successive Quest releases, including the successful launch of Quest 2 in October 2020 and its record-breaking sales the following year, the introduction of Quest 3 in October 2023, and the debut of Quest 3S in October 2024.
Note: Quest 3S is Meta’s latest mixed reality headset, featuring Quest 3’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset and full-color mixed reality capabilities, along with Quest 2’s older displays and bulkier Fresnel lenses.
Quest 3S is a great choice for those with a $300 budget, but we still recommend investing in Quest 3, priced at $500.
However, the chart above does not account for re-downloads, app updates, or subsequent downloads on new or additional devices for an existing iOS/Google Play account. It also does not consider users who already own a Quest device and are adding a new one to their account, such as a user upgrading from Quest 2 to Quest 3S.
As highlighted by Game Developer, factors that could impact the direct correlation between app downloads and headset sales include second-hand sales, headset sharing, and non-owners downloading the app to explore the app store.
In the absence of official data, another indicator is third-party retailers. According to data from Amazon product pages, Game Developer reports that Meta sold over 160,000 Quest headsets in November 2024 across eight countries, marking a 16% decrease in sales on Amazon compared to the previous year. The report states that two-thirds of those headsets were Quest 3S, while the remaining third were Quest 3.
On the other hand, Quest 3S emerged as the top-selling console on Amazon US in 2024, surpassing Switch, PlayStation 5 Pro, and both Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X hardware refreshes.
Nevertheless, the decline in app downloads and year-over-year Amazon sales may indicate a waning of interest compared to the Quest 2 era, which set a high standard. According to Omdia’s data, Meta managed to more than double overall app downloads in the year following the initial release of Quest 2 and nearly tripled the number of downloads the following Christmas.
Only time will reveal the impact of Meta’s efforts behind Quest 3 and Quest 3S, along with the exclusive games they can fund to make a difference in this year’s build-up to the holiday season. In a bid to boost Quest 3S sales, Meta has discounted the largest storage variant of Quest 3S (256GB) by $50 for a limited time, bringing it down to $350, and also offering a free copy of the highly-rated Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial of Quest+, the platform’s games subscription service.
Whether these trends signify a plateau in the VR market or simply a shift in consumer preferences remains to be seen. However, one thing is evident: Meta’s Quest line continues to be a dominant force in shaping the landscape of consumer VR.
Could this be changing? Perhaps Google is hoping so.
