Until Halo Infinite gets a virtual reality spinoff that puts you in the shoes of Master Chief, the Meta Quest may be your best bet.
The VR headset now lets you play Xbox Game Pass on a massive screen that comfortably beats your TV for size.
It’s a breeze to set up, so what are you waiting for? Strap in and start blasting those fleet-footed Jackals with our guide to Xbox in VR.
How to play Xbox games in VR
In order to play, you’ll need three things:
- Either a Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest Pro headset
- An Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription
- A compatible Bluetooth 3.0 controller like the Xbox Wireless gamepad.
If you’re new to Xbox Game Pass, don’t forget you can snag a two-week trial for just £1.
Now, on your headset, download the Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) app from the Meta Quest app store.
When you first open the app, you’ll be guided through the setup process, which involves signing in to your Microsoft account and pairing a controller.
How to pair a controller with your headset
If you’re using an Xbox gamepad, connecting it is as easy as pressing the pairing button on the back and following the onscreen instructions to connect. You can also reconnect or swap to a different controller at any time by pressing the controller icon on the strip below the main screen.
How to change screen size
Here, you can also choose from four screen sizes: small, medium, large and extra large. The biggest screens are curved, which is probably supposed to emulate the cinema.
While Meta Quest 3 and Pro users can use passthrough to see their surroundings, those on Meta Quest 2 will be stationed in a virtual room.
Does Xbox VR give you motion sickness?
Unfortunately, anyone who feels queasy playing VR games will probably struggle with Xbox titles, too.
If you’re affected by VR motion sickness, we’d recommend steering clear of games that include constant character or camera movements – think Fortnite, Halo Infinite or Starfield. Alternatively, you may find that you fare better with static games like beat-em-ups or 2D platformers.
It may also be a good idea to opt for the smallest screen size so you don’t feel completely immersed in the game.
Yes, that sounds like you’re defeating the point of playing in VR but at least you’ll still be able to use your Meta Quest to play multiplayer Xbox games at a friend’s house.
