Free-to-play games often come with a stigma. A lot of them are just going out on a nickle-and-dime with microtransactions, and the worst kinds of free-to-play games can have toxic communities full of rude players who make for a bad experience.
But the best free Meta Quest games for headsets like Meta Quest 3 are made to help players find the right types of players and have a good time. Also, these games are of full rights games, not some watered-down versions of popular titles that you’ll tire of quickly. In fact, all these games are regularly updated with fresh content and ways to have fun with friends every week.
Ready to get started? Here are the best free Meta Quest 2 and 3 games.
Gorilla tag
Arguably the premiere free-to-play Meta Quest game is Gorilla Tag, the viral sensation that launched a few years ago and has exploded ever since. Thousands of players jump into Gorilla Tag daily and for good reason. As you’d expect from a game featuring “Monke’s”, Gorilla Tag is a very social experience.
At its core, Gorilla Tag is a simple virtual tag game where you’ll launch your gorilla character through a variety of levels in an attempt to catch other players. Three additional game modes will liven things up a bit, but don’t be surprised if you’re just meeting new friends and making up your own games in a world that uses a unique PlayStation 1-style visual aesthetic.
Population: one
You can think of Population: One as the “Fortnite of virtual reality.” The battle royale went free-to-play in the spring of 2023 and has seen a significant increase in player population since then. Like Fortnite, the only thing you’ll be paying for is character and weapon skins, and the BigBox VR team is constantly coming up with new and interesting options to explore.
Battle Royale fans can play the original map or the “evolving map” in teams of three players with regularly changing rules. The team has been putting together seasonal content to keep things fresh, and the built-in map editor means deathmatch rounds could take place on a Mario Kart track, a classic Unreal map, or even in the N64 style rooms of Goldeneye 007.
But this is not just any battle royale. Population: One was custom designed for VR, so the controls and movement are completely unique to the medium. You can climb anything and fly anywhere with your arms as a pair of wings. It’s a surreal experience that gets better with time!
Gods of gravity
Gods of Gravity takes the god game genre to a whole new dimension, giving players full control over fleets of interstellar ships. Massive space battles await players who can strategically plan their galactic takeover, build ships and claim worlds for more resources. There’s nothing like taking your ships and launching them into the next solar system to understand the power of immersive virtual reality!
Each of the game’s playable god classes has its own set of positive and negative aspects, as well as a special power that can be activated. The game’s easy social atmosphere makes it easy to play with friends, and regular tournaments reward serious players who enjoy immersing themselves in the strategy required to win big. But don’t worry, even casual players can have a good time with co-op modes or single-player training sessions.
Zenith Nexus
Zenith: Nexus is the free-to-play relaunch of the original VR MMO. Nexus is splitting the game in two, leaving the MMO Zenith: The Last City as “Paid DLC” and opening up an entirely free pseudo-sequel in the form of Infinite Realms.
Infinite Realms is a free-to-play action-adventure RPG that makes it easy to play alongside friends or other players to fight mobs, compete in parkour challenges, and complete what the developer describes as “session-based quick runs” . There’s even a social lobby where players can shoot hoops, cook recipes, or just hang out and chat.
Plus, once you’re ready to jump into the full MMO experience, you can just download The Last City DLC and jump in with any friend who owns it.
Recreation room
Rec Room is the family social experience where anyone can play together without fear of bullying or foul language. The main Rec Room games include basketball, laser tag, a series of adventures with themes like pirates, space aliens and more. Also, player-created rooms are great for anyone to play and significantly change the game in important ways, similar to how Roblox and other player-created social games work.
Better yet, players don’t need to have experience with programming or PC-based tools to create their own worlds, unlike many other great social games. The game’s tools are powerful yet easy to use, and you can invite your friends to play your creations when you’re done.
Rec Room also has great parental controls that make you feel good about letting your kids play VR. Given the large number of children playing virtual reality games, it is important for parents to be able to provide their children with a safe environment.
worlds horizons
Horizon Worlds is the social experience built into the Meta Quest headset. It’s very easy to find worlds to play, and the game uses Quest’s built-in friends list, making it easy to connect with friends and hang out. Horizon Worlds started off pretty rough, but recent updates have improved the experience significantly, adding great free-to-play experiences like Super Rumble, the hit FPS experience.
Additionally, Meta partners with big names like the NBA to bring live sports viewing, concerts and other live events to Horizon Worlds for players to experience together. There’s even an entire TV series called The Faceless Lady hosted by Eli Roth and Crypt TV to change the atmosphere from bright and friendly to dark and spooky.
VRChat
You’d have to be living under a rock to have never heard of VRChat. At the very least, you’ve probably seen a video recorded on VRChat, a purely social game where people can use any avatar they want. Whether it’s your favorite (definitely non-copyrighted) character model, an anime cat, a cute animal, or anything in between, you can fully express yourself in the world of VRChat.
Of course, full expression comes with players harassing others regularly, but finding the right groups or VR worlds will keep those bad experiences at bay. Worlds can be anything from a social gathering space, a night club, or even full games like a recreation of Among Us.
However, the Meta Quest version of the game is more limited than the PC version, so you won’t be able to experience all the worlds on the standalone system. This is the main reason why it doesn’t rank higher on our list.
Gun Raiders
If you’re old enough to remember the Tribes multiplayer shooter series from the late 90s and early 2000s, you’ll feel right at home in this free-to-play multiplayer shooter. Gun Raiders equips each player with a jetpack and allows you to perform impressive aerial moves through considerable levels. Game modes range from simple deathmatch rounds to full scale battle royale, assault, control, donut and many others.
As with many free-to-play games, Gun Raiders is updated regularly, and players can choose to purchase skins separately or subscribe to the season-long Battle Pass. With the Battle Pass, the more you play, the more you’ll unlock. It’s a total blast and it’s hard to believe this one is completely free!
Big Ballers VR
Big Ballers is regularly heralded as “the best VR sports game” by players on social media and in the thousands of reviews the game has garnered on the Meta Horizon store. Whether you’re playing 12-man basketball, baseball, American football, or just training in mixed reality mode, there’s something for everyone here.
The developers have kept the game updated with new content monthly, and players swear by its physics and easy-to-learn mechanics. Big Ballers is a social game first, and the game’s reputation system means you can be sure you’re playing with respectful players who won’t badmouth you or make you feel bad. It’s a good time for everyone!
Woworld
At first, the world appears to be just “Google Maps in VR.” Fortunately, the game is much deeper than that, and it can be pure joy to explore the world with friends thanks to the game’s clever use of 3D maps and Street View technology. Plan your next vacation with friends and family or jump into “Where in the Wooorld” to test your geography skills.
Where in the Wooorld is a lot like a virtual reality scavenger hunt where players will be sent to a Street View location in a random location and have to use the visual clues around them to guess where in the world they are . Think of it a bit like the classic Carmen Sandiego games, except this time you’re the detective.
Bait!
Fishing may be fun, but getting up at dawn and getting sunburnt on a boat sure isn’t. This is where Bait! come in Jump in eight different environments alongside friends and fish all day (or night). Compete in tournaments and catch over 60 types of fish.
Up to four friends can fish together in the game’s multiplayer sessions, and the game’s social lobbies support up to 12 players at once, making this a great, relaxed social experience to dive into.
Free does not mean cheap
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Some free experiences can leave a bad taste in your mouth, but these free Meta Quest games are anything but cheap or lame experiences. These are complete games that give players the ability to enjoy time with others without spending an arm and a leg to get it.
Plus, it’s just easier to get your friends to try something new when they don’t have to spend a dime, right? Many of the games on this list are also the best Meta Quest games, further proving that free-to-play doesn’t mean it’s bad.
Because all of these games are social experiences, it’s important to make sure your account is set up correctly, especially if it’s a children’s account. Check out the Meta Security Center for all the ways you can stay safe online.
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