Meta has already made strides in allowing users to experience their content on the Quest headset, but that experience has often felt lacking—a bit like watching something through a small window rather than being enveloped in a home theater setup. Now, the company is taking steps to change that.
Mark Rabkin, who heads up the Horizon OS and Quest teams, recently mentioned in a post on X that Meta is in the process of creating a home theater environment for Horizon OS. This operating system powers Quest and will soon be the foundation for a variety of other headsets from different brands.
Rabkin was responding to a post questioning why an effort like this hadn’t been launched already. He explained that the team is actively experimenting with different lighting and effects to determine the optimal setup. They’re also focusing on perfecting sound to enhance the overall experience.
This isn’t Meta’s first foray into developing a theater environment. Rewind to 2014: back when Meta was still known as Facebook/Oculus, they launched Oculus Cinema for the Samsung Gear VR. This evolved into Oculus Video for both the Gear VR and the Rift, creating a more integrated way for users to enjoy their content while also offering options for renting movies directly on the device. Then, towards the end of 2015, Oculus Social emerged, allowing up to five users to join forces and enjoy Twitch and Vimeo streams in various virtual theaters.
Fast forward to more recent years, Meta introduced Horizon Home on Quest in 2021. This update allowed users to invite others into their virtual home space to watch videos or jump into VR apps together. However, it missed the mark on being a full-fledged theater app, as it didn’t offer custom environments or advanced playback controls.
These earlier apps share a common thread—they often presented users with obstacles that drove them towards more open solutions like Bigscreen and Skybox, or apps tailored for streaming services such as Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix.
Despite this, Meta’s upcoming move with a dedicated theater environment won’t likely replace the mixed bag of apps that exist today. But providing an integrated, easy-to-access way to watch your content might just hit the sweet spot for users eager for a more immersive experience.
