Meta Slams the Brakes on Horizon OS Partner Headsets
Meta has quietly hit pause on what could have been a major shift for VR gaming hardware. The company has canceled, at least for now, its plan to let third party manufacturers like Asus and Lenovo build their own headsets powered by Horizon OS, the same platform that runs Meta Quest headsets.
A Meta spokesperson said the company has paused the program to focus on building what it calls world class first party hardware and software to advance the VR market. Meta also says it still believes in the long term future of VR and may revisit third party partnerships later as the market evolves.
Back in April 2024, this initiative looked like a big win for gamers. Opening Horizon OS to other manufacturers meant more hardware choice while still tapping into Meta’s established ecosystem: the Quest storefront, existing games and apps, plus ongoing software support. For anyone already invested in VR gaming or thinking about jumping in, it sounded like the best of both worlds.
The Lost Promise of Asus and Lenovo Horizon OS Headsets
The big excitement around the Horizon OS program came from confirmed partners, especially Asus. The company was working on an ROG branded gaming focused headset, which promised to push performance and build a proper next generation VR device.
Asus co CEO S.Y. Hsu even described it as the gaming headset of the next generation. The idea was clear:
- Use Horizon OS to access the same library of games and apps as Quest headsets.
- Pair that with powerful modern hardware like the latest Snapdragon chips.
- Offer a high end display, potentially something like a micro OLED panel.
- Wrap it all in ROG level design and gamer focused features.
The result could have been a serious step up for VR gaming performance, especially for players who want sharper visuals, better comfort and more premium build quality than the current mainstream headsets.
Lenovo was also on board with a more productivity focused design. While that is less exciting for pure gamers, it still showed that Horizon OS was being positioned as a flexible platform for both work and play.
Now that Meta has shut the door on these partnerships for the time being, none of these devices are coming anytime soon. The dream of a next gen ROG VR headset running Horizon OS is on ice.
Why Meta Might Be Pulling Back and What Comes Next
Meta says the move is about focusing on its own first party hardware and software. In plain terms, it wants to fully control the VR experience instead of sharing the platform with multiple competing manufacturers right now.
There are a few likely reasons behind this strategy:
- Platform control Meta may want tight control over how Horizon OS evolves, without worrying about fragmenting the user experience across lots of different devices.
- Competition from Android XR Google is pushing Android XR as its own mixed reality and VR platform. Meta might be wary of giving away too much leverage just as another major ecosystem appears.
- Threats from PC centric VR Devices like the upcoming Steam Frame hint at a more open, PC style approach to VR. If third party headsets can easily run SteamOS or connect deeply with PC ecosystems, Meta risks becoming just one of several software options instead of the main gatekeeper.
From a gamer’s perspective, it is hard not to see this as a missed opportunity. More competition in hardware usually means faster innovation and better value. A premium Asus ROG headset on Horizon OS, with modern chips and a top tier display, could have been a serious upgrade path for VR enthusiasts who want high performance without giving up the Quest content library.
Still, this is not the end of new VR options. The Steam Frame, for example, is drawing a lot of attention from PC gamers. It promises stronger ties to the PC ecosystem, with the potential for deeper integration with Steam and possibly more flexible software options in the long term.
If Meta sticks mainly with its own hardware while companies like Valve and others explore more open or PC friendly designs, we might see a split future for VR:
- Meta continuing to offer a console style, closed but polished experience via Quest and Horizon OS.
- PC aligned platforms like Steam focusing on flexibility, performance and mod friendly ecosystems.
For now, if you were hoping to buy an Asus ROG VR headset powered by Horizon OS, you will have to wait. Meta is keeping the keys to its platform to itself while it doubles down on its own devices. Whether that truly advances the VR market or just slows down hardware innovation is an open question.
The good news is that VR hardware is still moving forward, just not in the way many expected back when Meta first opened up Horizon OS. If PC centric devices like the Steam Frame deliver on their promises, VR gamers may still get the high performance, high fidelity experiences they have been waiting for. They just might come from a different ecosystem than originally planned.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/vr-hardware/meta-puts-third-party-vr-headsets-using-horizon-os-on-indefinite-pause-to-focus-on-building-the-world-class-first-party-hardware-and-software-needed-to-advance-the-vr-market/
