Quest Sales Fall: Should Schools Still Buy a Meta Quest?

Meta has confirmed that sales of its Quest headsets are falling, and that it will now only release new VR devices when it has what it calls “major breakthroughs”. The news came with the company’s results on 21 October 2026. If your school or family is thinking about buying VR this year, here is what it means.

What Meta announced

Reality Labs, the part of Meta that makes Quest headsets and smart glasses, took less money this quarter than a year ago. Meta’s own filing puts this down to lower Quest sales, partly offset by growing sales of its AI glasses. On the earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg said Meta would change its approach to VR and only ship new devices when it has a major breakthrough.

• Reality Labs revenue: $443 million for July to September, down 6% from $470 million a year earlier.
• Reality Labs loss: $4.13 billion for the quarter, with $18 to $19 billion expected for the whole of 2026.
• Next device: the Meta VR Glasses, due in spring 2027 at $1,299.99. They run Quest apps but come without controllers.
• No Quest 4: there is still no date for a new mainstream Quest headset.

What this means for schools

The good news is stability. Quest 3 and Quest 3S are now likely to stay Meta’s main headsets for some time, so a set bought this year should not feel out of date by next summer. Developers will keep building for them, which matters for the educational apps teachers rely on.

The less good news is direction. Meta is putting its effort into AI and glasses rather than into VR for learning. Combined with the changes to Meta’s headset management tools, which are now in maintenance mode until 2030, schools should plan for a platform that is supported but not growing quickly.

What this means for parents

If a Quest is on a Christmas list, there is no reason to wait for a newer model. Some reviewers think Meta may cut prices on Quest 3 and 3S over the holidays. The new VR Glasses are aimed at adults and professionals and are far too expensive to be a sensible first headset for a child.

Our take

This does not change our advice. For most schools and families, a Meta Quest 3S is still the most sensible way into VR, and the Quest 3 is worth the extra if you want sharper screens. Buy for the apps you will use today rather than for features that may never come, and keep an eye on the age guidance from Meta and other makers.

Before you buy, read our guide Is VR bad for children? and see our best educational VR apps for schools.

Sources: Meta Q3 2026 results (SEC), Road to VR, MIXED, VR.org.