Meta Quest 2: How To Play Steam Games

Oculus Quest

By Cameron Corliss

Updated Jun 29, 2024

Thread

Oculus Quest

The Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro - formally Oculus - is one of the most accessible virtual reality headsets on the market. Its self-contained nature is its primary selling point, but something must be said about its versatility. The headset is a self-contained piece of kit. It can be connected to a PC for a richer experience.

That doesn't stop at the Meta app, either. Here's how to play Steam games using the Meta Quest VR system. The Meta Quest doesn't make it clear that it can play Steam games, but it's a feature in the headset. Luckily, one of the VR headset's best innovations makes this easier than on the original Meta Quest, allowing it to link to a PC wirelessly and play a user's library of games.

6:38

best vr shooter games oculus quest 2 featured image

The Best VR Shooter Games For The Meta Quest 2 (AKA The Oculus Quest 2)

The FPS genre is a perfect fit for VR gaming, and these shooter games represent the Meta Quest 2 at its best.

Updated June 28, 2024, by Michael Llewellyn: The Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro headsets are robust devices capable of running impressive and immersive virtual reality worlds. However, the headsets are limited by the power of its Android systems. Thanks to the Steam Link app, players can connect their Meta Quest to their PCs far more easily than previous methods via Air Link. This guide has been updated to replace the Air Link method with the Steam Link and the recommended settings from Steam.

Minimum PC Requirements

Playing Steam Games from a PC to a Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro requires a decent machine and a capable internet connection. Attempting to run Steam games through the Meta Quest without the minimum specs would render them unplayable. Below are the minimum requirements for Steam games on Meta Quest 2 and above.

OS: Windows 10 or 11.
Processor: Intel i5-4590 or above. Or AMD Ryzen 5 1500 X or above.
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX970 and AMD 400 and above.
Memory: 8GB RAM
5 GHZ Wifi for the headset and a wired connection to the PC.

Connecting To The Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro

Before trying to run games from the PC to the Meta Quest 2 and above, you must download the Steam Link app through the Meta Quest headset or use the Meta app. After the installation has been completed, follow the next steps:

Switch on your Windows PC and ensure it is connected to the same router and network the Meta Quest headset uses.
Sign into Steam on the PC, place the headset on, and launch the Steam Link app.
Click start at the onscreen prompt and follow the steps to connect the Meta Quest to your PC.
In Pairing mode, the Meta Quest will display a security code for confirmation. Input the code on the PC to sync the PC to the headset.

Navigate The Steam Library

Steam Link demonstration with No Man's Sky selected

With the Steam Link connected to the Meta Quest headset, you can access and select games from your Steam Library. The Meta Quest isn't just limited to playing virtual reality games, it can play regular games with a virtual screen through the lenses.

Settings can be adjusted through Steam Link under the General and Video menus. It is recommended by Steampowered that the Render Resolution not exceed 175%. Additionally, the Encoded Video Size in the Steam Link settings should not surpass an encode size of 1280.

The Virtual Desktop Method

Meta Quest users can try the Virtual Desktop option if the Steam Link is causing issues. To get this working, use the following steps:

Use this link to download the Virtual Desktop onto the PC.
Using the Meta Quest headset, purchase the Virtual Desktop from the Meta store.
Download and launch the app and take note of the username.
Switch back to the PC, enter the details onto the Virtual Desktop, and wait for the devices to sync up.
With devices set up and connected, Meta Quest users can navigate their Steam library and play games on the virtual screen inside the Meta Quest headset.

That's all there is to play a Steam game on Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro. It's one of the significant improvements to the new version of the headset, as the original Quest could only play Steam games with an expensive cable to be able to do so.