Ok, I know I’m not the brightest when it comes to math or finances. But, even I understand how inflation and supply shortages work. People everywhere are feeling the wallet squeeze- gas, food, household necessities costs are at an all-time high. Wage raises have done little to compensate for the sky rocketing prices.
So, when Facebook/Meta came out this week with news that they will be increasing the price of their Meta Quest 2 VR headset, I was confused. They’re not increasing it by a few dollars, nope, but by $100 per model. The 128GB model will go for $399, and the 256GB will cost a whopping $499 on August 1, 2022.
The reason, according to Meta’s blog, is twofold: People will pay it, they’re sure; and the rise of inflation and cost to make the Quest 2 has made this necessary. Mind you, the company’s networth was $104 billion in May 2022. But hey, they’re feeling the pinch too… right?
Their response makes even less sense. “By adjusting the price of Quest 2, we can continue to grow our investment in groundbreaking research and new product development that pushes the VR industry to new heights,” the blog stated. Let’s not forget the planned release of Meta’s high-end VR headset sometime this year.
It seems Meta is going through an identity crisis of sorts. Instagram has become TikTok lite, Facebook continues to hemorrhage users, as more go to other platforms. The company had less than stellar profits during Q1 this year. And Zuckerburg is apparently looking at the 2030’s before the Metaverse is profitable…if it’s still around them.
On top of that, PlayStation announced this week several new features for the upcoming VR2, including a customized play area, protections against bumping into stuff, livestreaming and See-Through View. If Meta hopes to see higher sales of the Quest 2, they might want to rethink the price hike. Hey, at least you get a free Beat Saber, for a limited time.
