Meta Provides Free Quest 3S Replacements After Software Update Causes Issues with Some Headsets

There’s nothing quite like the frustration that comes with tech hiccups on Christmas morning. You’re excited to dive into a new gadget, only to find yourself tethered by the mundane task of downloading updates and juicing up batteries. Yet, things can take a nosedive into worse territory—like when a mandatory update bricks your device right out of the box. This unfortunate scenario played out for several users of Meta’s Quest headsets this past week. Fortunately, Meta swiftly jumped in with offers of replacement devices and Horizon Store credits as a peace token.

On December 25th, Reddit was buzzing with countless reports from new Quest owners who faced a dire problem after installing a recent update. Their experience was marred by an ominous message warning, “Your device is corrupt. It can’t be trusted,” with no way to get the headset back on track, effectively rendering it useless.

Word has it that the culprit was the Quest’s v72 update, which Meta had rolled out earlier in the month. This update didn’t just snag new headsets; it also impacted older models that hadn’t seen a software refresh in some time.

Meta acknowledged the turmoil in a community help thread, stating: “We’ve discovered a software update issue that caused some Quest 2/3/3S headsets to become unresponsive. We’re actively working on fixing the problem for all users, but most can now use their devices without any further issues.”

For those affected, it’s worth noting that only a small percentage of headsets fell victim to this glitch. Meta has since paused the faulty firmware update, giving new users a green light if they haven’t yet set up their Quest. Meanwhile, Meta is addressing the bricked headsets by sending replacements along with Horizon Store credits as a goodwill gesture.

In a thread aimed at Quest 3S owners, Meta detailed its next steps, saying: “If your device is caught in this update snag, we’ll send you a replacement Quest device at no cost. You’ll also receive Horizon Store credits, underscoring our commitment to your experience.”

Despite Meta’s quick action, the mishap has caused enough dissatisfaction for some users to return their faulty headsets and hope for a problem-free exchange. A poignant example comes from a Reddit user, ‘Physical-Slip5049’, who recounted, “I bought a never before used second-hand Quest 2 from eBay as a Christmas gift for my 9-year-old son. After unwrapping it on Christmas morning, he booted it up and was forced into an update. Following Meta’s advice for a reset has left it hard-bricked. It’s only been turned on for five minutes in its two-year lifespan. My son was looking forward to it for three months, only to end up in tears on the big day.”

Moreover, it appears Meta isn’t ignoring users holding out-of-warranty headsets like the Quest 2. They’re offering refurbished replacements and more store credit, attempting to rectify the unfortunate situation.

We’re keenly observing how future developments of this issue unfold, and we invite anyone who’s impacted to share their experience and Meta’s response in the comments below.