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Meta’s journey into the metaverse is taking intriguing turns as the Quest platform becomes a playground for younger users and mainstream audiences throughout 2024. Samantha Ryan, the VP of Metaverse Content, believes this shift could spark a boom in free-to-play content.
Ryan recently discussed these exciting changes in a developer blog post. She outlined how last year’s trends were significantly driven by newcomers to the Quest platform.
“Looking back, device sales saw an uptick in 2024, and Quest 3S devices became the go-to for users who logged more hours compared to any other headset launch,” Ryan shared. “Not only that, users were spending more money. The platform’s payment activity jumped by 12%, thanks mainly to a surge in in-app purchases.”
Free-to-play games thrive on these in-app transactions. A perfect example is the VR hit Gorilla Tag (2022) from Another Axiom, which hit the $100 million mark in revenue last summer, largely through the sale of in-game cosmetics.
“We’re focused on creating a socially-driven platform where younger users enjoy hanging out with friends in multiplayer games and social apps,” Ryan explained. “Their engagement is fueling the rise of free-to-play titles, a trend we’ve seen on other platforms. Younger users are also flocking to Horizon Worlds.”
In a memo that recently came to light, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth emphasized the critical role of their cross-compatible social platform, saying the mobile version of Horizon Worlds “must take off for our long-term strategy to succeed.”
“We foresee free-to-play (F2P) becoming a viable path for developers who have mostly depended on premium apps so far. Still, we expect both F2P and premium models to thrive side by side,” Ryan added.
Yet, the Quest’s core group of VR enthusiasts, seeking high-quality premium content, remains crucial to the ecosystem. “A significant portion of device sales comes from existing Quest owners upgrading their models. This group makes up 27% of Quest 3 and 20% of Quest 3S users this year,” Ryan noted.
Interestingly, Ryan pointed out that most new Quest users in 2024 were not experienced VR buffs upgrading their gear. “Traditional VR enthusiast characteristics don’t entirely define the Quest userbase anymore,” she observed.
Regarding media consumption, Ryan mentioned that while 2D apps and browsers haven’t been popular on Quest devices historically, their engagement is increasing. “With enhancements like multitasking, theater mode, and immersive audio, our operating system aims to accommodate this user growth,” she explained. In 2024, Quest saw a 10% rise in average user time spent on media apps and a 21% growth in browser usage.
Meta seems to be at a crossroads. The company must balance meeting early adopters’ expectations for premium content with embracing the rising tide of social and free-to-play offerings. The exact role that in-app purchases will play in supporting developers remains uncertain. Meta’s challenge will be fostering this growth without alienating any segment of its user base.
