When I got my Meta Quest VR headset last year, I planned to try to get into some of the cool VR games I’d seen out there, and I have done that. But what I didn’t expect was how much I would enjoy taking advantage of my subscriptions to some of the best streaming services to watch movies and the occasional TV show using the VR headset. Does watching movies while in a virtual setting make me feel like I’m Wade Watts from Ready Player One, living my best virtual life in the Oasis? I don’t know that I’d go that far, but the experience is really fun, especially for certain platforms.
I have a Meta Quest 2, and while I’m happy with it, I know I’ll want to upgrade at some point, so I’m paying particular attention to the Black Friday deals for Meta Quest headsets this year. Here’s one of Target’s Black Friday deals, which includes a $50 gift card with the purchase of a Meta Quest 3S:
Target’s Meta Quest 3S Deal
Jump ahead to more Meta Quest deals if you prefer to skip past the different ways I use my Meta Quest VR headset to stream movies and TV shows.
How I Watch Streaming Movies And TV Shows On My Meta Quest
If you’re unfamiliar with using a Meta Quest VR Headset to watch streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Peacock, etc, there are different ways to do it, depending on the platform.
Use The Built-In Browser
This is the most obvious option. I’ve found the browser to be compatible with several of the streaming platforms I have. I certainly don’t want to say that it’s compatible with all of them, as I haven’t personally tested all or even most of them, but I’ve tried it out on a few platforms, and it’s what I use for Netflix and Paramount+.
Using the Meta Quest’s built-in browser means your viewing window is set up in whatever your Home Environment on Meta Quest is. This means you can have other browser windows open to do other things while keeping your movie or TV show playing within view, which is nice if you’re a multitasker.
Now that I have Ready Player One on the brain, I just checked, and it’s available with a Netflix subscription right now. It’d be a fun movie to watch in a VR headset!
Use The Streaming App
Not all of the streaming platforms have their own dedicated app on Meta Quest. In fact, from what I can tell, most don’t, but a few do, including Prime Video, YouTube, and Peacock. The user experience varies with each app, as does the environment (if there is one). Netflix used to have an app for Meta Quest that had you set up in a cozy little living room with a big screen in front of you, but they discontinued the app. I can watch Netflix with the browser, but I do miss that little living room.
Use Big Screen’s App
Big Screen’s VR app for Meta Quest is really cool. I mainly use it as a virtual movie theater, as I love that I can choose different theater or screening room environments. It really makes watching a movie in VR extra fun, and it honestly gives me that totally focused feeling that I get when watching a movie in the theater. There are other features on Big Screen’s app that I haven’t tried, like Remote Desktop streaming or joining a public or private screening with other people to watch movies together.
In terms of sitting back and watching a movie or TV show, I would probably use Big Screen most of the time if it were compatible with all of the platforms that I subscribe to, but right now only a handful of platforms are compatible: YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Twitch and Pluto TV.
For the paid streaming services to work on Big Screen, you have to be logged in as a subscriber.
Now let’s get on to some of the other Black Friday deals I’ve seen for Meta Quest.
More Meta Quest Black Friday Deals
As you likely know, Meta Quest has the 3S and the more expensive 3 (if you’re unsure which one is right for you, Tech Radar has a breakdown about the 3 and the 3S that might help). Just like last year, deals for the Meta Quest 3 range from hard to impossible to find this holiday season (so far, anyway), but I did come across these deals from Target and Best Buy, both of which offer a $75 gift card with purchase for the 3. So the price is still the usual price ($499.99), but you at least get the gift card.
The VR experience might not be a good fit for everyone, but if you are thinking about getting a Meta Quest, or you already have one, I do recommend trying it out as a way to watch movies and TV shows. It’s one of the things I love to use it for most… well, that and virtual fishing.