Oculus Quest 2 leak gives first glimpse of upcoming VR headset

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Oculus is supposedly working on a lighter version of its headset — here's what it could look like

(Image credit: WalkingCat/Twitter)

The Oculus Quest is one of the most accessible virtual reality headsets available. It's affordable, simple to set up, and a reliable option for those looking to get into the space without purchasing a convoluted gaming PC and making room in your living area. 

It’s also an incredibly popular option in the world of virtual reality headsets, which means it should come as no surprise that Oculus has reportedly been at work on a second version called the Oculus Quest 2. Now, it looks like we may have gotten our first real look at what the second iteration of the headset may look like thanks to a purported image of the product posted on social media. 

The leaked image, shared by typically credible leaker WalkingCat via Twitter, shows a mostly white headset design with black trim, similar to the trend we're seeing with Sony's upcoming PS5. This Quest 2 image also includes plastic straps to hold the headset in place, though there doesn't appear to be much padding. There also seems to be a marked lack of sliders or similar controls on the headset, either on the bottom where you'd expect it or on the side somewhere.

Currently, the Oculus Quest features an interpupillary distance slider that can be used to change the distance between lenses. That can help bring the unit's picture into better focus for those with eyes that are closer or further apart than average users'. It's a feature that ended up being stripped from the Oculus Rift S that, if removed, might stir up some controversy among Quest 2 adopters.  

Based on the leaked image, the rumored headset looks less bulky and smaller in general, though it's difficult to tell from this one picture alone. The cameras appear to have been placed lower on the device than their predecessor, which could mean that it will allow for a wider range of movement. These are all positive alterations, but without any official word or statement from Oculus, we can't say for sure. 

We first learned that Facebook could be working on a new virtual reality headset with redesigned controllers back in May, though updates have been relatively scarce since then. Bloomberg reported at the time that the new version would be 15% lighter than its processor and include a higher screen refresh rate of 90H, compared to the first iteration's 60Hz.

It's only been about a year since the Oculus Quest first debuted\. According to Nikkei Asian Review, it's possible that Oculus may begin producing a new headset (or the one depicted in the most recent leak) by the end of the month. If that's true, we could be cruising toward an announcement for the upcoming Quest iteration very soon. It’s a good time to debut the new hardware, especially when there’s a new console generation on the horizon that could offer stiff competition in the gaming space. Unfortunately, Oculus has remained mum on the situation, so this is all supposition for the moment. 

Brittany Vincent
Brittany Vincent

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She's also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.