- End of Quest 1 Support: Developers can no longer include Quest 1 compatibility in store app updates, fully ending its support.
- Aging Hardware and SDK Limitations: Meta’s SDKs dropped Quest 1 support in 2023, and its outdated performance made continued support impractical.
- Limited Upgrade Options: Quest 1 owners can still use older app versions, but without security updates, upgrading to a newer headset like the $300 Quest 3S is recommended.
Developers are no longer able to support the original Oculus Quest in their store app updates, marking the final phase of its deprecation. This change follows Meta’s decision in May 2023 to prevent new store apps from supporting Quest 1. Now, even existing apps that were previously allowed to maintain compatibility with the aging headset can no longer provide updates that include support for it.
Meta has enforced this restriction through its store system, which will automatically block any app manifest that includes Quest 1 support. This move effectively ensures that developers must focus solely on newer Quest headsets, preventing any further software advancements from being made for the original Quest. While the headset remains functional, users will not receive any new features, optimizations, or bug fixes from developers who update their apps.
The Oculus Quest originally launched in May 2019, featuring the Snapdragon 835 chipset, which was already two years old at the time. Meta discontinued sales of the Quest 1 in October 2020 upon launching its successor, the more powerful and cost-effective Quest 2. The gradual phase-out of Quest 1 was officially announced in January 2023, with its last operating system update, v50, released in February of that year. Security updates and bug fixes ceased in August 2024, while newer headsets, including Quest 2, Quest Pro, Quest 3, and the upcoming Quest 3S, now operate on version 72 of the software.
In reality, few store apps still supported Quest 1 prior to this latest policy change. Meta’s software development kits (SDKs) dropped support for the headset with version 51 in April 2023, forcing developers who adopted newer SDKs to abandon Quest 1 compatibility. Additionally, with only half the processing power of Quest 2—whose GPU itself is significantly weaker than Quest 3’s—the Quest 1’s aging hardware made continued support increasingly difficult. Many VR developers had already moved on, citing its declining user base and outdated performance as key reasons for discontinuing support.
Despite this development, the Quest 1 is not entirely obsolete. Owners can still use the headset and install older versions of apps that choose to maintain support for it. However, given the lack of security updates, continued use may pose risks. Unlike some other electronics companies, Meta does not offer a trade-in program for older headsets, meaning Quest 1 users must pay full price for an upgrade. The most affordable new option is the Quest 3S, starting at $300.
