Quest games on Meta VR Glasses: what works without controllers

Meta's VR Glasses run the same software and store as a Quest. That's a big deal. Years of Quest games could be ready on day one.

There's a twist, though. The glasses come without controllers, and Meta built them for your eyes and hands first. So which games will you actually be able to play? Meta's developer docs answer more of that than you'd think.

The short answer

• More than 75 games will be ready at launch that you play with just your hands, Meta says.
• Most other Quest games should run once you pair Touch Plus controllers.
• Some older apps won't run at all. The glasses need 64-bit apps.
• Flat apps, movies and cloud games work without Touch controllers.

How you control things without controllers

Meta's docs say your eyes do the aiming and your hand does the clicking:

• Look at a button to target it.
• Pinch your thumb and index finger to select it.
• Slide your thumb along your finger to scroll.

Road to VR found you can do all of this with your hands resting in your lap, thanks to cameras that point down. Engadget was surprised how natural it felt, and said it worked with hands in the lap too.

There are a few other ways in. You can ask Meta AI to play a movie or open an app. Meta says any table or desk can become a keyboard and touchpad, though Engadget found typing on it less accurate and missed the feel of real keys. Road to VR reports that Bluetooth keyboards and gamepads work as well.

Games built for your hands

Meta named these games for the glasses, all playable without controllers:

• Beat Saber, in a new hand-tracked mode called Flux. You punch and slice through bars with a beam of energy that links your hands. Flux comes to Quest headsets next spring too.
• Cardmada
• Dice Throne Digital
• Dragon Grove
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Dual Destinies
• Supernatural
• Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities
• Two Point Hospital

That's eight of the more than 75 Meta promises at launch. The full list isn't out yet.

Games that need controllers

This is where Meta's developer docs get useful. A game that needs controllers will still install on the glasses. When you open it, a screen asks you to pick up your controllers, and the game won't start until they're on.

Meta's docs also say people with paired controllers can find, buy and play games that require them.

The fix is easy if you're ready to spend. Touch Plus controllers from a Quest 3 or 3S work with the glasses. Meta's store sells them for the Quest at $74.99 each, so $149.98 a pair. UploadVR reports there's an all-black version for the glasses, plus bundles at some stores. Meta hasn't priced either one yet.

Some controller games may not stay that way. Meta is telling developers to swap controller moves for hand ones, like a pinch for a trigger and teleporting instead of a thumbstick. Whether a game gets that update is up to its developer.

Apps that won't run

Here's a catch that's easy to miss. Meta's docs say the glasses need 64-bit apps. An app built only for 32-bit can't run on them at all, even though it still runs fine on a Quest.

Most current Quest games should be fine. The risk is with older ones that haven't been updated in a while. There's no way to check a game yet. We'd expect Meta's store to show what works when the glasses launch.

Developers also have to mark their apps as ready for future Meta devices. Meta says an approved app set up that way can reach the glasses after launch without a new version. Which games make the cut is up to each developer.

Flat apps, movies and cloud games

You don't need Touch controllers for any of these:

• Flat Android apps. Meta says they work with your eyes and hands.
• Streaming apps. Meta names Disney+, YouTube, HBO Max and Prime Video, among others. Disney+, Peacock, HBO Max and Paramount+ are bringing 3D movies.
• Xbox Cloud Gaming. Meta says it streams hundreds of games. You'll want a Bluetooth gamepad for these.
• PC VR. Meta's spec sheet lists Quest Link, by cable or over Air Link. PC VR games usually expect controllers, though. If PC VR is your main reason to buy, see Meta VR Glasses vs Steam Frame.

Your saves and purchases

It's the same store and the same account system, so apps you own on a Quest should be there to download, as long as they're compatible.

Saves are a different story. Meta's docs say Cloud Backup can restore an app's data when you install it, but it doesn't keep syncing between devices. Play on your Quest after that, and your glasses won't pick up the new progress on their own.

Should you buy controllers?

• You own a Quest 3 or 3S. Use its controllers. No need to buy more.
• You mostly watch, work and play casually. Start without them. Over 75 hand-tracked games is plenty to begin with.
• You play a lot of VR. Budget $149.98 for Touch Plus. Then ask whether a Quest 3 suits you better. Our Meta VR Glasses vs Quest 3 comparison lays out the trade-off.

What we still don't know

• The full list of 75+ hand-tracked games
• How the store will label games that work without controllers
• Which popular games are still 32-bit only
• The price of the black Touch Plus and any bundles
• Whether Meta's Steam Link app will run on the glasses

More on Meta's glasses

• Everything you might add: Meta VR Glasses accessories
• Plugging in a handheld or laptop: what will connect to Meta's VR Glasses
• Release date and price: our Meta VR Glasses tracker
• Into emulation? Our sister site heldgames asks whether retro games make sense on Meta's VR Glasses.