Many virtual reality developers have announced and released graphics upgrades to take advantage of the better hardware in the Meta Quest 3.
Below, we show side-by-side comparisons of the Quest 3 vs Quest 2 graphical performance for several popular VR games. When you are playing VR games, the improvements aren’t immediately obvious. However, when you see them side-by-side in the pictures below, there have been significant improvements to things like:
- Lighting
- Shadows
- Details in static objects
- Background
Let us know what game made the most improvements!
- Hubris Quest 2 vs Quest 2 Graphics Comparison
- The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution Graphics Improvements
- Red Matter 2 Quest 3 vs Quest 2 Graphics Comparison
- Guardians Frontline Meta Quest 3 vs Quest 2 Graphics
- Golf+ Meta Quest 3 vs Quest 2 Comparison
- Espire VR Graphics Upgrades – Quest 3 vs Quest 2
- Zenith VR Meta Quest 3 vs Quest 2 Graphics
- Will All Games Be Upgraded for the Meta Quest 3?
- Why Do Games on the Meta Quest 3 Get Better Graphics?
- What Games are Getting Upgraded Graphics on the Meta Quest 3?
- How Do You Get Quest 3 Graphics Upgrades on Games?
- Video Comparison of Quest 3 vs Quest2 Graphics
Hubris Quest 2 vs Quest 2 Graphics Comparison
The Hubris VR game developers have made awesome improvements for the new Meta Quest 3. Check out the additional shadows in both of screenshots below. It looks like underwater and above-water scenes have both received some upgrades.
It looks like the backgrounds have been improved with more clarity, letting you see the world around you in higher quality.
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution Graphics Improvements
The Walking Dead is a flagship VR title and the latest chapter, Retribution, is getting several graphical enhancements on the Meta Quest 3.
You’ll notice that zombies have clearer details in their faces and clothing. And your own skin looks more lifelike, too.
In several of the scenes, the lighting has been upgraded on the Meta Quest 3. For Quest 2, The Walking Dead added a fog effect to mask some of the lower quality textures in the game.
On the Quest 3, this fog effect has been largely removed and the color contrast has been improved!
A lot of static objects have had new textures added. In the screenshot below, you can see that this “Be Warned” graffiti wall has had more details added into the graffiti. Plus, the wall looks more authentic in the brick patterns all over.
The Walking Dead was already a well-designed game and these Meta Quest 2 upgrades will improve it further.
If you’d like to check out some side-by-side comparisons of the graphics improvements in a video, check those out below.
Red Matter 2 Quest 3 vs Quest 2 Graphics Comparison
Red Matter 2 is already one of the most visually stunning games on Meta Quest’s Android platform. The team has worked hard to make the game look better for the Quest 3 though!
Take a look at the comparison of dynamic shadows in the Quest 3 vs Quest 2 version of Red Matter 2 below. Flooring and large objects look better and more lifelike.
I really like the screenshot that the Red Matter 2 development team shared below. It shows that up to 16x more textures were used on static objects like walls in the game.
The rendering resolution has also been improved in Red Matter 2. Take a look at the improved details in the screenshot below. You will notice less graininess and also that a similar ‘fog’ effect to the one used in The Walking Dead VR has been removed.
Below are two screenshots that I think really capture the graphic upgrades in Red Matter 2 Quest 3 vs Quest 2. Sasha’s suit has much more lifelike detail. The shadows in the space helmet have been improved to show better color contrast.
Overall, fans of Red Matter 2 will notice several graphics upgrades when they install it on the Meta Quest 3.
Guardians Frontline Meta Quest 3 vs Quest 2 Graphics
Guardians Frontline is a popular multiplayer sci-fi shooter. On the Quest 3, it is getting several texture enhancements.
I really like how much the outdoor scenery has been improved with better color and contrast. Take a look at the new details on the gun in the foreground below and also improvements in the rock and sky in the background.
A lot of ground areas have been improved with new grass textures added.
Here is another comparison of a level in Guardians where you can see new grass added to the game.
Once again, you can see below that a fogginess effect on the Quest 2 version of the game has been removed and new colors added into the scene all over.
Golf+ Meta Quest 3 vs Quest 2 Comparison
Golf+ has also announced new Meta Quest 3 upgrades to the game. Right away, you’ll notice that the grass looks more lifelike and realistic in color.
I’ve heard that grass improvements are very noticeable in a lot of games for the Meta Quest 3.
The screenshot below shows how the grass looks much better, and new shadows are more present in the rough area. There are subtle improvements to the hills in the background and the sky.
Espire VR Graphics Upgrades – Quest 3 vs Quest 2
Espire VR released update v1.6 to take advantage of new graphics improvements for the Meta Quest 3.
In the first screenshot below, you can see how several objects have more details added. The environment textures have also been made more realistic.
Here is another Espire VR graphics comparison between the Meta Quest 3 vs 2. The whole room has been given more atmosphere and the color contrast has been improved.
In this picture below, you can see how many scenes have improved color.
Zenith VR Meta Quest 3 vs Quest 2 Graphics
Zenith is a popular VR MMORPG game. Being so large of an environment, it previously felt empty and cheap in a lot of areas. The Meta Quest 3 is getting some really nice graphics enhancements to nearly every object in the game.
Below, you can see how the grass, sky, and objects have all been improved with new textures and shadows.
Below, you can see how grass feels more 3D on the Quest 3. Buildings and trees have received subtle improvements.
Below, you can see how much shadows have improved on the Meta Quest 3.
Will All Games Be Upgraded for the Meta Quest 3?
During the Meta Connect 2023 keynote speech, Mark Zuckerberg announced that over 50 VR titles will be upgraded for the Quest 3 at launch time. Over time, we expect most games to receive additional textures and improvements.
Why Do Games on the Meta Quest 3 Get Better Graphics?
The Meta Quest 3 features a new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Generation 2 system-on-a-chip (SoC). The new XR2 has at least twice the performance capabilities of the last generation. It can render more textures at full speed and higher resolution compared to before.
This means that VR developpers can add more into their games without sacrificing any framerate concerns, which add stuttering.
What Games are Getting Upgraded Graphics on the Meta Quest 3?
Several VR games have announced ‘day one’ graphics updates for the Meta Quest 3, including:
Walkabout: Mini Golf
Vegas Infinite
Golf +
Zenith
The Walking Dead Saints and Sinners
Dungeons of Eternity
Among Us VR
A Township Tale
Barbaria
Battle Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister
Beat Saber
Budget Cuts Ultimate
Bonelab
FitXR
Gods of Gravity
Into The Radius
Islanders VR
Job Simulator
Pixel Ripped 1978
Population: One
Raccoon Lagoon
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2 Retribution
Toss!
We Are One
Windlands 2
Thrill of the Fight.
Espire 2
Deisim
Puzzling Places
Cactus Cowboy – Desert Warfare
CleanSheet
Gazzlers
Floor Plan 2
Brink Traveler
Drop Dead: Dual Strike
Drop Dead: The Cabin
Guardians Frontline
Vermilion
Painting VR
Red Matter 2
Hubris
Little Cities
Pistol whip
SynthRiders
Resist
Apex Construct
Broken Edge
Demeo
Breachers
V-Speedway
Neodori Infinity
VR Workout
Angry Birds
Cosmonious High
Cubeism
Eleven Table Tennis
Track Craft
Noun Town Language Learning
How Do You Get Quest 3 Graphics Upgrades on Games?
VR games in your library will automatically receive updates that improve their graphics. You won’t have to do anything except make sure that you allow these updates to happen.
The only thing you might consider is getting the Meta Quest 3 512 GB version!
What game do you think got the biggest graphics upgrade for the Meta Quest 3?
Video Comparison of Quest 3 vs Quest2 Graphics
Want to see video of how the graphics look on the new Quest VR headset? Check out this comparison video for more information:
Authors
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With over 7 years of hands-on experience in the dynamic world of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR), Ryan is a recognized authority in the field. His collaborations with industry giants like Meta and HTC underscore his expertise in shaping the AR/VR landscape. Ryan has written over 2,000 blog posts, offering in-depth insights, reviews, and analyses of the latest mixed reality technology. From groundbreaking games to cutting-edge hardware, Ryan's extensive knowledge ensures readers are always at the forefront of AR/VR/MR, as well as Steam Deck, news.
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Thomas tests the latest virtual reality and augmented reality hardware, shares the latest news, and travel to events around the world. He has one of the largest collections of VR glasses in his studio and always offers useful content thanks to my many years of VR/AR experience. Thomas also travels to VR/AR events worldwide. These include trade fairs such as Connect, CES, PAX, VR Days, or Gamescom.
