Meta Phoenix VR Headset Could Arrive Before Meta Quest 4

Meta’s next-generation VR strategy appears to split hardware development between lightweight mixed reality and dedicated immersive gaming experiences.

Meta Quest 3 is almost 3 years old now. So, you'd think we'd have a pretty good idea of what comes next. Quest 4, right? Well, it's complicated. Meta apparently canceled its original Quest 4 plans, then restarted them, and is now working on not one but two very different VR headsets.

There are a lot of supposed Quest 4 leaks out there with release dates, specs, and some pretty wacky concept renders that look like they came straight out of an AI engine, but the reality is we know very little about the Quest 4. What we do know is that Meta's plans appear to have changed quite significantly.

Meta’s Original Quest 4 Plans Were Canceled

According to internal Meta memos reported by Business Insider, Meta then began working on new next-generation Quest devices specifically focused on immersive gaming. Meta apparently described it as a large upgrade over its current headsets. So, yes, technically, a Quest 4, or whatever it's going to be called, is probably going to happen, but it doesn't look like it's going to be Meta's next VR headset because there's another project much further along.

At least that's its internal code name. And instead of looking like another Quest headset, it looks like Meta took a VR headset and tried to shrink it into chunky goggles. Earlier versions of this project have also been referred to as Project Puffin or Loma, so you may have seen those names floating around, but Phoenix appears to be the current project.

Unlike a random concept render, we've now seen evidence inside Meta's own Quest firmware, which makes it feel a bit more solid. In February, XR data miners Luna and Samulia discovered graphics depicting an unreleased Meta headset alongside a separate computing device. The files also referenced eye-tracking calibration and adjustable nose pieces.

Phoenix Could Use an External Computing Puck

Phoenix is reportedly connected to a separate computing puck by a cable, which kind of sounds like a step backward considering we spent years trying to make VR wireless, and now they're just bringing back the cable. It shows a very thin headset with individual adjustable lenses, removable nose pieces, hand tracking, eye tracking, and most importantly, a puck.

The difference is that this isn't a cable running across your room to a PC. The idea is that you can wear it in your pocket, around your neck, or around your waist, and so on. I don't mind that concept, honestly. I'd much rather have it separate than have a heavy headset. We all know how heavy the Quest is, and I think Meta has learned that people don't want heavy VR headsets.

Reports say Meta was targeting a headset weight under 110g. That seemed to be their development target. That doesn't mean the final headset will weigh 110g, but it gives us an idea of what they're aiming for, which is pretty tiny. After using more lightweight VR headsets recently, I think this could be a pretty big deal.

In my eyes, one of VR's biggest problems is comfort. That's a problem when you're literally strapping a computer to your face. There is going to be weight involved, and you can make the most comfortable experience in the world with the best resolution and processing power, but if it's uncomfortable, people just aren't going to use it.

Meta clearly seems to be finally thinking about this as well. According to Business Insider, there was reportedly some internal debate over whether Phoenix should keep the external puck. Still, Meta ultimately kept it because it let them make the headset lighter and more comfortable while also moving heat away from your face.

Phoenix Could Target Entertainment and Mixed Reality

That raises a much bigger question. If this is Meta's next headset, who is it for? That makes Phoenix feel less like a Quest 4, but more like Meta experimenting with an entirely different category of VR headset. If Phoenix isn't replacing the Quest 4, what exactly is it supposed to be?

From the reports so far, Phoenix appears aimed much more at entertainment, virtual screens, and seated mixed reality than at the traditional VR gaming audience. UploadVR reported that the headset is being designed around features such as spawning large virtual displays for productivity and entertainment.

Rather than relying on traditional Quest controllers, it will apparently use eye tracking and hand tracking as its main input. So basically, it's a wannabe Apple Vision Pro. I kind of wonder: will they even call this a VR headset, or will they call it something like spatial computing or XR, or will they make up a whole new word? Probably, because Meta likes to do that.

Meta Could Be Splitting Its VR Hardware Strategy

Interestingly, this does line up with something Meta has been saying. Meta says its future VR hardware roadmap will include headsets tailored to different audience segments. Meta has already identified several distinct groups using the Quest. There are core VR enthusiasts, which I think you and I are probably in that camp.

Then you've got younger users who are heavily into social gaming, aka Gorilla Tag. Then you've got what Meta calls casual adult users, who tend to gravitate toward entertainment and prefer more natural input, like hand tracking. Phoenix does start to make a lot of sense in that regard. Instead of trying to build one headset that works for everyone, Meta could be splitting up its hardware lineup.

One headset could prioritize being small, lightweight, and easy to use for movies and virtual monitors. In contrast, the other could remain focused on what Quest has traditionally been quite good at: gaming. That brings us back to the headset everyone actually wants to know about. While Phoenix appears to be further along, Meta is still developing another headset specifically for immersive gaming.

This is essentially the device we're currently calling Quest 4. According to internal Meta memos reported by Business Insider, work on this new headset began after Meta canceled its previous next-generation Quest candidates. Internally, Meta reportedly described the new headset as a large upgrade over Quest 3.

Fingers crossed there is actually something in the works, and we haven't been abandoned, as some news articles say. This all sounds exciting, but this is also where the leaks get much less useful, because compared with Phoenix, we really don't know anything about a potential Quest 4. 

Quest 4 May Not Be Announced This Year

You may have seen the code name Griffin floating around, and XR data miner Luna has said Griffin is one code name associated with the potential new Quest. Beyond that, there are many alleged Quest 4 specs online. Sadly, we simply don't have enough reliable information to say exactly what the Quest 4 will look like.

Anything could still change. But what's clear is that Meta still sees gaming as an important part of Quest. At GDC this year, Meta said its investment in Quest and games remains very high, and specifically said it has new hardware, new audiences, and new games on the way.

Despite all the headlines about Meta pulling back from parts of AR, the Quest gaming platform doesn't appear to be going anywhere. I hope. If the current reports are correct, Phoenix and Quest 4 aren't competing products. They're Meta trying to serve two different audiences: Phoenix is a VR headset that is significantly lighter and easier to wear, and Quest 4 is a dedicated gaming headset.

If Meta is really working on two different next-generation headsets, when will we actually see them?

Phoenix currently looks like the one that could arrive first. According to an internal memo seen by Business Insider, Phoenix was originally planned for the second half of 2026, which is now, but Meta pushed it back to the first half of 2027. We may start to see signs that something is changing, especially with the rollout of the new Horizon OS.

The software side is already being actively prepared for their new Project Phoenix, aka Apple Vision Pro wannabe, since Horizon OS is very Apple Vision-coded. That doesn't guarantee a launch date, and Meta could delay it again. But at this stage, the safest thing we can say is Phoenix appears to come first, and Quest 4 appears to come later.

This is where all the recent headlines about Meta giving up on VR start to look a little different. Meta absolutely has changed its strategy. You just need to look at the actions to see that. Horizon Worlds is shifting heavily towards mobile. Meta has cut back on first-party VR development, and Reality Labs has undergone significant layoffs.

But Meta is also saying it still has a robust roadmap of future VR headsets, this time designed for different users. Meta has also said that it's separating the Quest VR platform from Horizon Worlds so the two can grow independently while continuing to invest in the VR developer ecosystem.