Facebook recalls 4 million Oculus Quest 2 devices over negative skin reactions


The Oculus Quest 2 has been a massive success for accessible VR. As a standalone device without the need for base stations and a high-end PC. As part of Facebook's exploding interest in VR and AR technologies, it’s certainly been going strong.

However, not all is well with the Oculus Quest 2. Despite the overwhelming success of the VR platform, Facebook is having to recall around 4,000,000 devices.

Why is Facebook recalling Oculus Quest 2?

Facebook has issued a recall of their latest VR headsets due to an issue with the hardware’s foam face rests. Over the past year of use, the company has noticed an increasing number of users reporting skin irritation.

Update Oculus Quest 2
expand image

In a statement, Facebook explained that they are working on resolving the issue:

“As more people started using Quest 2, we received reports that a very small percentage of Quest 2 customers were experiencing skin irritation after using the Quest 2 removable foam facial interface. We’ve been working hard to address the issue, working with experts and making adjustments to our manufacturing process, and communicating proactively with regulators.”

The official description of the irritation caused by the device’s foam inserts are numerous. The foam inserts officially caused “rashes, swelling, burning, itching, hives and bumps".

Read More: Lawmakers urge FTC to continue Facebook antitrust fight

Total number of recalled units

An official government listing of the Oculus Quest recall revealed the scale of Facebook's recall. Officially, Facebook is recalling that 4 million units in the United States. Additionally, the company is also recalling 172,600 units in Canada.

PSX Oculus Quest 2
expand image
Government website reveals how many units have been shipped in the United States and Canada. Via reddit.

This isn't the full number of total worldwide units. This document only refers to the United States and Canada. However, as VR has been treated as a rare investment, it goes to show that the Oculus Quest 2 has been very successful indeed.

Read More: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants to make Ready Player One a reality

This Article's Topics

Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!

GamingNews