Meta Provides Complimentary Quest 3S Replacement After Software Update Causes Malfunction in Some Headsets

Waking up on Christmas morning, you’re usually excited to dive into new gadgets, but nothing puts a damper on the festive spirit like having to deal with endless downloads and battery charging. Imagine, though, the nightmare some folks faced when they tried setting up their new devices, only to find them bricked thanks to a software update gone awry. Last week, this unfortunate scenario became all too real for some Meta device owners, prompting the company to step in with fresh replacements and credits to their Horizon Store.

On December 25th, a wave of user complaints hit Reddit. New Quest owners reported a critical failure while attempting to install the latest update. The error message ominously stated, “Your device is corrupt. It can’t be trusted.” At that point, there was nothing left to do; the headset turned into an unresponsive paperweight.

It looks like this glitch was tied to the Quest’s v72 update, which had recently been rolled out. The problem didn’t only affect new devices—some older headsets that hadn’t been updated in quite some time also suffered the same fate.

Meta addressed the debacle in a user help thread, stating, “We’ve discovered a software update issue that caused some Quest 2/3/3S headsets to be unresponsive and unable to start up correctly. We are actively working on resolving the issue for all users, but in most cases, you are now able to use your device normally.”

Visually demonstrated by an image of Quest 3S next to Quest 3, the image serves as a reminder of the challenges new tech can bring—though let’s face it, when that update message appears, you just roll your eyes and hope for the best.

Thankfully, the number of devices affected was relatively small. Meta quickly halted the update, putting new users in a better position if they hadn’t yet configured their Quests. For those stuck with bricked hardware, Meta has offered replacement units and Horizon Store credits as compensation for the inconvenience.

In their ‘Next Steps’ forum for Quest 3S users, Meta explained, “If your device is affected by the issue, we’ll send you a replacement Quest device at no cost to you. We’ll also issue you Horizon Store credit as a token of our commitment to supporting you.”

Despite Meta’s swift action, the damage to their reputation was already done. Some users, disillusioned, decided to return their faulty headsets, hoping for a trouble-free experience with the replacement. The sentiment was echoed by ‘Physical-Slip5049’ on Reddit, sharing a heartbreaking tale: “I bought a never before used second-hand Quest 2 from eBay as a Christmas present for my 9-year-old son. He opened it Christmas morning, started it, and was forced to update it,” they lamented. “Having never used a VR headset before, I tried to reset it after following Meta’s own instructions. Now it’s hard-bricked. It’s been turned on for just 5 minutes in its entire 2-year life. My son spent 3 months waiting to play this but couldn’t use it when it came to the big day. He spent half of Christmas day crying and upset.”

On the brighter side, for out-of-warranty headsets like the Quest 2, Meta is reportedly providing refurbished units in addition to store credits, making the situation a bit less bitter for those affected.

We’ll keep a close watch on how things unfold as more reactions and responses emerge in the wake of this update blunder. If you’ve been affected, share your experiences below, and let us know how Meta is handling your particular case.