Meta Provides Free Quest 3S Replacements After Software Update Causes Malfunction

There’s nothing quite like the excitement of unwrapping a new gadget on Christmas morning, only to be deflated by the need for endless updates and battery charges. Even worse, imagine downloading an update that turns your shiny new device into an expensive paperweight before you’ve even had the chance to use it. That unfortunate scenario happened to several users just last week, prompting Meta to step in with new devices and credits for the Horizon Store as a form of apology.

On December 25th, Reddit lit up with reports from unhappy new Quest owners. They were met with a dire error message after trying to install the latest update: “Your device is corrupt. It can’t be trusted.” There seemed to be no way to reset their headsets, which were essentially rendered unusable.

The culprit appears to be the Quest’s latest v72 update, released earlier in the month. According to user complaints, not only did it affect new devices, but it also created issues for older headsets that hadn’t been updated in a long time.

Meta addressed the situation on a user help thread, stating, “We’ve discovered a software update issue causing some Quest 2/3/3S headsets to become unresponsive and fail to boot correctly. We’re working swiftly to resolve this for all users; in most cases, you can now use your device as usual.”

After a temporary halt of the problematic firmware update, it seems new Quest users who haven’t yet set up their devices should be spared any trouble. For those already affected by the “bricking” issue, Meta is making amends by sending replacement devices and offering Horizon Store credit to ease the frustration.

Meta’s ‘Next Steps’ thread for Quest 3S users mentions, “A small number of Quest 3S devices have encountered software update issues, leading to boot-up problems. If your device is affected, we’ll provide a replacement at no charge and add some Horizon Store credit as a gesture of our support.”

Although Meta’s response was prompt, the hiccup had already cast a shadow over many festive mornings. Some users opted to return their faulty headsets, hoping for better luck with another device. One Reddit user, ‘Physical-Slip5049’, shared a particularly heart-wrenching story about their Christmas disappointment.

“I bought a second-hand but unused Quest 2 from eBay as a Christmas gift for my 9-year-old. Christmas morning, he opened it, started it, and was immediately prompted to update. Having never used a VR headset before, I followed Meta’s instructions to reset, but it ended up hard-bricked. The device was on for just 5 minutes its entire life. My son waited eagerly for 3 months to play, only to find it unusable on the big day. He spent half of his Christmas upset and in tears.”

In addition to offering replacements for in-warranty devices, Meta is also providing refurbished units and store credit for out-of-warranty devices like the Quest 2.

We’re keeping a close eye on how this unfolds. Have you been affected? Share your experiences in the comments below and let us know what Meta is doing about it.