Having only been out a few days, the Meta Quest 3 looks like it has the potential to revive VR gaming. Already, people are experimenting to see what the new VR headset is capable of. Now, a user on Reddit has found a way to use their Meta Quest 3 as a PlayStation 2 emulator, displayed on a virtual screen in front of them.
In a post by reddit user u/RdtIsekaiMike, they share gameplay footage of themselves playing Kingdom Hearts 2, the classic PS2 title, on their Meta Quest 3 headset. They also state that this has been done using the emulation tool Nethersx2, a popular PS2 emulator.
Meta Quest 3 released on October 10, only three days ago. As part of the Quest series of VR headsets, this model doesn't connect to an external PC, but instead is a complete, self-contained device. In order to play a PS2 game on the Quest 3, the emulator would have to be sideloaded onto the device.
Sideloading is when a user uses a third-party source to install software onto a device, instead of using the official retailer: in this case, Meta. Doing this allows Quest owners to play games on their device that they could not play otherwise. Additionally, sideloading doesn't violate the Quest 3's terms of service, reducing the risks if something were to go wrong.
Sideloading can either refers to third-party storefronts, or instead to using your own device to transfer the software directly. In this case, its most likely that the latter was the method used, as PS2 emulation is not yet something we've seen using the Quest's mixed-reality capabilities.
In light of this information, it poses the question as to whether the Meta Quest 3 can be used to emulate other platforms. The potential ability to use a Meta Quest 3 as a hub for emulating a host of games off of a range of platforms makes for an attractive proposition, particularly if you're looking to revisit some classic favourites.