Xbox Game Pass can now officially be accessed in virtual reality.
Game Pass is coming to VR, starting with the Meta Quest HMDs. The subscription can now be enjoyed on Quest 2, Quest 3, or Quest Pro headsets, but users won't be able to download full games just yet. Technically, only half of Xbox Game Pass is available for Quest owners.
Today Microsoft and Meta announced that VR users can now stream Xbox games via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Microsoft has released a dedicated Xbox Cloud Gaming app on the Meta Quest Store that allows Ultimate subscribers to stream a selection of games directly to their VR headsets. Bringing Game Pass to VR was originally mentioned in the FTC v Microsoft trial.
It needs to be said that these Xbox games aren't natively made for VR, and wearing the headset while playing will just transport users to a kind of virtual theater with a 2D screen where the game will be played. You're essentially playing Xbox games that were designed for consoles on a larger screen while wearing the Quest headset.
The exact amount of games that are supported on the Quest remains to be seen, but Meta notes that hundreds of games can be played. According to the Xbox Game Pass website, there are currently 391 games offered for Xbox cloud streaming.
Xbox gaming CFO Tim Stuart recently remarked about the importance of expanding "operating leverage" by further growing Xbox's high-margin businesses. As a digital subscription with recurring revenues, Xbox Game Pass is a key example of a high-margin business.
"Play hundreds of high-quality Xbox games on Meta VR headsets with Game Pass, including EA Play. Skip the install and jump into your favorite Xbox games with friends right away. With games added all the time, there's always something new to play."
