Meta Provides Complimentary Quest 3S Replacements After Software Update Causes Some Headsets to Malfunction

Picture this: it’s Christmas morning, and instead of diving into the excitement of a new gadget, you find yourself waiting for updates to download and batteries to charge. Yet, what’s even more frustrating is when an update ends up completely incapacitating your device before you even get a chance to use it. This unfortunate scenario happened to several Meta users recently. Thankfully, Meta has stepped in, offering replacements along with Horizon Store credit to those affected.

Reports began pouring in on Reddit on December 25th, revealing that some new Quest owners faced a serious glitch. After installing the latest update, their headsets displayed a daunting error message: “Your device is corrupt. It can’t be trusted.” With no way to reset, these devices became unusable.

The culprit seems to be the v72 update from Quest, released earlier this month. Users noted that it struck not only brand-new headsets but also some older models that hadn’t been updated in quite some time. In response, Meta posted in a user support thread:

“We’ve identified a software update issue affecting some Quest 2/3/3S headsets, making them unresponsive. We are swiftly working to fix this for everyone, and most users can now use their devices without trouble.”

A few headsets were initially caught in this problem, but after Meta paused the update release, new users can likely breathe easier if they haven’t yet set up their new device. Meanwhile, for those with bricked headsets, Meta is handling replacements at no charge, throwing in some Horizon Store credit to ease the inconvenience.

“We’re aware that a small number of Quest 3S units are encountering a glitch that stops them from booting correctly,” Meta explains further in a section dedicated to affected 3S users. “If your device is impacted, we’ll provide a replacement and issue Horizon Store credit as a goodwill gesture.”

Despite Meta’s prompt reaction, the mishap dampened the holiday experience for some, leading them to return their defective headsets, hoping for better luck next time. One Reddit user, ‘Physical-Slip5049’, shared a particularly disheartening story of how this glitch spoiled Christmas for their child.

“I purchased a never-before-used second-hand Quest 2 from eBay as a gift for my 9-year-old son,” wrote Physical-Slip5049. “He unwrapped it Christmas morning, booted it up, and was forced into an update. Having never dealt with VR before, I tried resetting it following Meta’s tips. Now, it’s completely bricked. It operated for just five minutes in two years. Seeing his anticipated Christmas morning crumble was heart-wrenching for him and for me.”

For those without warranty on affected models like the Quest 2, Meta is also providing refurbished devices paired with the store credit.

We’re closely monitoring how this situation unfolds. If you’ve been impacted, we’d love to hear your experience and any steps Meta has taken with you in the comments below.