Technology is all the rage these days, so it’s no wonder that the gaming industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries today. One of the many products now in the raging technology market is the Oculus Quest 2 — a new VR headset that is making waves in the gaming community.

The Oculus Quest 2 was released on Oct. 13th of 2020 by Facebook. Today, the headset is by far the newest and advanced version of its siblings, Oculus Quest and Oculus Go. The Quest 2 allows you to (almost literally) step inside gaming worlds and experience 360-degree video content across a wide range of genres.

Once bought, the OQ2 comes with the headset (obviously) and two left and right-hand controllers. These controllers are used to navigate and interact within the VR world, though there are also options for hand tracking — where a user would not have to use any devices but only their bare hands to play within the OQ2.

Unlike many of the PCs requiring VR headsets available today, the Oculus Quest 2 is not constrained to cables connected to a desktop, as it allows the player to freely roam without the fear of tripping over the wire. The price of the Oculus Quest 2 is reasonable as well, being only $300, while other companies and brands go for well over $500. Because of its minimal costs, the headset has been attractive to the likes of many consumers who want to experience VR but don’t want to break the bank for it.

“Over the past year, we’ve heard from developers and the VR community alike that Quest delivers on the promise of VR better than any other headset. It offers flexibility and comfort while letting people enjoy both wireless Quest titles and the best of high-powered PC VR (through Oculus Link), all with a single all-in-one headset. This is the future of VR.” Oculus said in a statement introducing the OQ2.

And as if the Oculus Quest 2 couldn’t get any better, the headset features hundreds of separately-sold Oculus Quest games – and some free ones too – available to play. The games vary from shooting, puzzle games, physical fitness and even meditation apps. With the wide array of selection choices and endless possibilities, Oculus keeps its community busy, no doubt.

Example of different game genres available for the Oculus Quest 2

When it comes to the quality of the Oculus Quest 2, many rate it 5 stars. According to TechRadar, the first Oculus Quest was made with 1440 x 1600 resolution OLED displays (for each eye), and the Quest 2 displays a pixel resolution of 1832 x 1920 per eye. — Do with that information what you will but there’s simply no denying that the Oculus Quest 2 is a major upgrade compared to its other past models.

“Lightweight, comfortable, and powerful enough to run impressively detailed virtual reality experiences, the Oculus Quest 2 is the best VR headset that Oculus has made so far.” Gerald Lynch from TechRadar stated. “[…]depending on your perspective on raw power versus portability and comfort, it might just be the best VR headset ever, too.”

Despite the rave reviews, Oculus is not without its problems. One of them is its lack of parental control. Many parents have expressed their negative views regarding the Oculus Quest 2’s ability to keep children safe whilst on the platform.

“Much of VR is a solo experience, but going online in social apps and games can throw you into a weird mix of people along with conversations that frequently aren’t censored. […] you can expect lots of strangers.” Tech reviewer Scott Stein said. While Stein said he would love to be able to lock down his kids’ controllers, that is just not possible with the Oculus Quest.

With the growing interest in VR and popularity of the Quest 2, the community has seen a huge increase in children joining it. The problem is, OQ2 isn’t at all made to suit children. Mark Zuckerberg, when asked whether the Oculus Quest could also be adapted to cater to its younger audience, said, “I think it’s probably quite a ways off that we’d really build something like this.”

To add to the list of disadvantages, the OQ2, upon creating an account or getting started, requires a full blown Facebook account. (Which is not surprising since it is a Facebook product) Many have taken to the internet to express their dislike for this feature, and while many disagree with the requirement of a Facebook account, some do not mind.

With all that being said about this product, it’s evident that the future is bright for the gaming industry, and VR will definitely play a huge part in it. Hopefully after reading this article you now have a clearer idea of what to add to your early Christmas list.