Outselling Rivals: Lesser-Known Console Dominates Amazon in '24

Meta Quest 3S: Amazon's 2024 Best-Selling Console

The Meta Quest 3S unexpectedly outperformed major gaming consoles like the Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, securing the top spot as Amazon's best-selling console of 2024. This is a significant achievement, particularly considering its October launch.

This budget-friendly VR headset, a lower-specced variant of the Meta Quest 3, offers a compelling entry point into the VR world. Its wireless freedom and independence from powerful PCs or consoles clearly resonated with consumers. The success of the Meta Quest 3S on Amazon strongly suggests a growing consumer interest in virtual reality gaming.

Amazon's 2024 best-seller list further highlights the Quest 3S's triumph. It ranked #11 overall in video game sales, surpassing the PlayStation 5 Slim (#17) and Nintendo Switch (#53). Notably, Xbox consoles didn't even feature in the top 80, although some peripherals did. The only items outscoring the Quest 3S were a Nintendo microSDXC card and the PlayStation DualSense controller. Even the PlayStation VR2 failed to make the list.

Accessibility and Affordability Drive VR Adoption

The Meta Quest 3S's success can be attributed to its accessibility. Unlike tethered VR headsets like the PlayStation VR2, the Quest 3S offers untethered freedom of movement. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for a high-end PC or console, lowering the barrier to entry significantly.

Interestingly, the discontinued Meta Quest 2 also appeared on the list (#27), while the original Meta Quest 3 did not. This suggests price sensitivity within the VR market.

With the Nintendo Switch 2 slated for a 2025 release, the future of console sales rankings remains uncertain. However, the 2024 results strongly indicate a growing, albeit gradual, acceptance of virtual reality gaming.

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