Patrick Hearn · May 31, 2024 · 6 min read The Meta Quest 2 is one of the most popular virtual reality headsets today, thanks to its affordable price point and completely wireless, inside-out tracking. At just $300, the Oculus Quest 2 handles all processing on-device. This means gamers don’t need an expensive gaming PC to experience virtual reality.
Even though $300 is more affordable than some other devices on the market, it’s still a lot of money. The good news is that there are a lot of free games on the Oculus Store and Steam. These are some of the best free games on Oculus Quest 2.
The 8 Best Free Games On Meta Quest 2
Looking for an incredible VR experience that doesn’t break the bank? Check out some of these VR games.
Rec Room
Rec Room is one of the quintessential multiplayer games on the Oculus Store. It’s a great way to meet other players and participate in various games, from paintball to basketball. You create your avatar and play with and against others in socially competitive games.
Many of the games on Rec Room are user-created, so you never run out of things to do. You can also play with users on other VR headsets like the HTC Vive and the Valve Index.
Echo VR
Imagine playing high-stakes frisbee in zero gravity, except that the way you move is by flinging yourself from obstacles and using hand-mounted thrusters to make micro-adjustments to your movement. Echo VR is – a competitive frisbee game where your goal is to fling the frisbee through the goal and block the opponent from scoring.
Echo VR takes full advantage of the virtual reality experience by immersing you in an environment where everything is different, from the movement to the visuals. It’s free to play, but you can spend real money to unlock the battle pass and earn cosmetic items.
Gorilla Tag
The Oculus Store isn’t just populated by official games. Through the App Lab, you can download free, user-created video games. Gorilla Tag is one of those games. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a game of tag, except you play as a gorilla and propel yourself around the map with your hands and arms.
Gorilla Tag makes for an excellent workout; after a couple of rounds, you’ll feel the burn even more so than from a game like Beat Saber. You can play tag with up to three players or take part in an infection game mode with four or more. When you’re the last uninfected gorilla and the rest of the game is chasing you, it makes for an intense experience.
Elixir
Elixir is a short but fun romp through a fantasy world where you assist a sorceress with day-to-day tasks within her tower. While it’s a fun game, it’s more of a hand tracking demo. You don’t need an Oculus controller for this game – just play with your hands and enjoy the experience.
Gameplay consists of using magical items around the tower to complete different tasks. For example, you might touch a potion and turn your hands into octopus legs. The hand tracking is so accurate that you can even sign your name on forms.
VRChat
VRChat is widely considered one of the best VR experiences, but it’s a social VR experience – not a game. It’s a virtual chat room where you can hang out with others and talk, watch movies, etc. It’s also one of the weirdest places on the internet.
VRChat does have games inside it, but they’re mini-games designed for a social experience. Like Rec Room, much of the content is user-created, so you can find everything from horror games to puzzle games. You can even sit in a space station and carry on a conversation. VRChat is a cross-platform game. Oculus users have a more limited experience unless you connect to your computer through Air Link or with a cable and play the PC VR version.
PokerStars VR
If you like poker (or card games in general), check out PokerStars VR. Although player avatars are a little goofy, it has realistic environments and genuine poker experiences. You can use it to meet other players or just hang out with friends.
It’s one of the most popular Oculus Quest 2 games. Some players even stream live poker events like the Poker World Series and play games of their own while watching the pros at work.
First Contact
First Contact is one of the first new games a new user should download. It introduces the player to the Meta Quest 2 controls and guides you through how to do everything from running, using the touch controllers, and more.
First Contact is largely inspired by the 80s, which means it’s a blast of nostalgia for older gamers and a romp through an earlier time for newer gamers.
Epic Roller Coasters
Epic Roller Coasters puts you in the seat of roller coasters without the need to leave your home. It’s a great way to experience theme parks without the cost (or the spine-tingling terror that comes from being on a real-world coaster.) Epic Roller Coasters is free to download, but there are in-app purchases if you want to unlock even more rides.
Where to Find More Free Meta Quest Games
The Meta Quest Store is just one place to find free experiences. There are tons of free App Lab games in various stages of development. Free VR games are easy to come by, but the quality can be a bit hit-or-miss on some. Still, if you’re looking for a VR fishing game or alternatives to pricey games like Space Pirate Trainer, App Lab is the place to look.
Games can be loaded from App Lab directly onto your Quest from the store, but if you find a game for another platform like Oculus Rift that you want to use on the Quest, you might be able to load it through an application like Sidequest. Unfortunately, most of the games available to PlayStation VR users are only on PSVR, so you won’t be able to play those through Quest 2.
