Meta is increasing the prices of the Quest 2 headset by $100 next month

The Meta Quest 2 (formerly known as Oculus Quest 2) is about to be $100 more expensive, with the 128GB model priced at $399.99 and the 256GB model priced at $499.99. According to a post on Meta, the price change for the nearly two-year-old headset will happen "starting in August".

As much as I hate to recommend buying things under pressure, you should probably act fast if you're hoping to get your hands on this first. It looks like the armies of scalpers and their bots are going to have a good day with the models that are currently on sale at the old price. You can pick them up from Meta's official store, places like Best Buy, Amazon, GameStop, Target, or Walmart.

That's a massive price jump for one of the best deals in gaming in years, and it comes at a time when the meta is starting to cut the fat all over and make more money — as well as a Also building a business-focused look. Trying to get around people having access to virtual reality hardware. However, the company is offering something to help buyers make the new price a little easier to swallow: Starting on August 1st and continuing through the rest of the year, Quest 2 will come with a free copy of Beat Saber, the hugely popular is VR. Rhythm game that usually costs $29.99.

According to UploadVR, those looking to save money by going with the refurbished model will have to pay an additional $100 for the base version and $80 for the one with upgraded storage, paying $349 and $429, respectively.

In its post on Tuesday, Meta says that "the cost of manufacturing and shipping our products is rising." According to sources who spoke to Verge reporter Alex Heath, the company doesn't make money on sales of the Quest headset.

However, it is possible that antitrust regulators could accuse Meta of deliberately subsidizing its headset in order to force competitors that may not match its price point and then back down when they become effective in the market. worth. may increase. As an example of how popular Quest 2 is among gamers, look at last month's Steam hardware survey: 49.02 percent of those using VR with Steam were playing on Quest 2.

By the way, this is a headset that doesn't require a computer to operate, so that number isn't possible for everyone who uses the headset. Market research firm IDC estimates that Quest 2 made up 78 percent of the virtual/augmented reality market in 2021, according to The Hindu.

Recent reports have indicated that Meta is working on a new slate of VR and AR headsets, with some sets significantly more expensive than the current crop (even with the increased prices). The company doesn't shy away from the fact that it's working on new hardware, but Tuesday's move may give users a break about purchases in its ecosystem. This would not bode well for Meta, which has said it works in a virtual world.

If you're in a hurry to pick up one of these headsets before the price hike, you might want to watch our video showcasing some of its most useful features.