What you need to know
- Meta will be increasing the price of the Meta Quest 2 VR headset, accessories, and refurbished units starting in August.
- The headset will cost $100 more with the 128GB version at $400 and the 256GB version at $500.
- Meta cites the increasing cost of manufacturing and shipping as the reason for the price hike.
Meta announced today it will be increasing the price of its Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headsets alongside its accessories and refurbished units starting next month.
The company said in a blog post that the price of the VR headset will be increased by $100 beginning this August. That means the 128GB version will now cost $400, while the 256GB version will cost $500. Although, anyone who buys an Oculus Quest 2 starting Aug. 1 through the end of the year will get a free copy of the VR rhythm action game Beat Saber.
While Meta boasted the momentum of the VR space, noting that people have spent over $1 billion on Meta Quest apps, the company revealed the reason for the price increase is from manufacturing and shipping.
"At the same time, the costs to make and ship our products have been on the rise," Meta said. "By adjusting the price of Quest 2, we can continue to grow our investment in groundbreaking research and new product development that pushes the VR industry to new heights."
Tech companies have not been immune from the rising cost of global inflation. Samsung reportedly had to reduce component orders for several of its product lines, from TVs to smartphones, due to inflation.
Despite the manufacturing and shipping concerns, Meta says it plans to launch its Project Cambria high-end VR headset later this year with "new generations of Meta Quest after that." The headset is rumored to reportedly cost $800 or more.
You can still buy a Quest 2 this week at its $299 price. So if you were thinking of hopping in on the VR train, now is the time.
