Meta tends to keep its sales figures under wraps, especially when it comes to how many headsets are making their way into consumers’ hands. However, one hint at the platform’s popularity can be gleaned from the number of fresh downloads of its mandatory companion app, Meta Horizon, available on Android and iOS.
According to independent analyst firm Omdia, as reported by Game Developer and picked up by Forbes, there was a 27% drop in Meta Horizon app downloads on Christmas Day 2024 compared to the same day in 2023. Normally, Christmas represents the peak download period for the app each year.
A look at the graph provided by Omdia and Sensor Tower reveals some key points in the timeline of Meta’s Quest lineup. Major events include the debut of Quest 2 in October 2020, which set the stage for record sales the following year; the launch of Quest 3 in October 2023; and the release of the Quest 3S in October 2024.
For those unfamiliar, the Quest 3S is Meta’s latest mixed reality offering. It combines the Quest 3’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset and full-color mixed reality functions with the older displays and bulkier Fresnel lenses of the Quest 2. It’s an entry-point choice at $300, but if you can stretch your budget to $500, the Quest 3 is still the better buy.
But there’s more to the story. The chart mentioned doesn’t account for things like re-downloads, app updates, or installs on new devices tied to existing iOS or Google Play accounts. It also overlooks scenarios where users, already owning a Quest headset, decide to upgrade, say from a Quest 2 to a Quest 3S.
Game Developer points out several other elements that might skew the interpretation of app downloads as direct indicators of headset sales. These include factors like second-hand unit sales, sharing of headsets, and non-owners downloading the app simply to browse the app store.
Without official sales figures, another metric comes from third-party retailers. Data from Amazon product pages, highlighted by Game Developer, show that Meta sold over 160,000 Quest headsets in November 2024 across eight countries, marking a 16% decline in year-over-year Amazon sales. Notably, two-thirds of these sales were the Quest 3S, with the balance made up of Quest 3 units.
Interestingly, the Quest 3S emerged as the top-selling console on Amazon US in 2024, surpassing the likes of the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 Pro, and the refreshed Xbox Series S and X.
The drop in app downloads and the dip in Amazon sales compared to the previous year might suggest a waning enthusiasm when set against the high benchmark established by the Quest 2. Omdia’s figures indicate that Meta managed to double overall app downloads in the year following the initial release of Quest 2, and nearly triple them by the next Christmas.
Heading into the holiday season, it remains to be seen just how aggressively Meta will push the Quest 3 and Quest 3S, not to mention what big-ticket, possibly exclusive, games they might support to drive sales. In a bid to boost Quest 3S sales, Meta has chipped $50 off the 256GB model’s price, now at $350, sweetening the deal further with a free copy of the well-reviewed Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial of Quest+, its game subscription service.
The real question is whether these shifts hint at a leveling-off in the VR market or just a change in consumer focus. Regardless, Meta’s Quest series remains a leading player in the consumer VR scene. That said, maybe the tides are turning, and you can bet Google hopes so.
