Facebook is temporarily pausing Oculus Quest 2 sales after reports of skin irritation due to the foam face cover.
In an official blog update, the company states that the removable foam facial interface that comes included with the Quest 2, as well as the additional Fit Pack, has caused a “very small percentage of Quest 2 customers” to experience slight irritation to their skin.
As a result, the company will today begin offering a new-and-improved silicone face cover to all existing owners of the Oculus Quest 2 or the Fit Pack in compliance with global regulators, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada. This also means that Facebook will be pausing the sale of Oculus Quest 2 headsets globally until it can repackage unsold units with the new silicone covers. Beginning August 24th, all Quest 2 packages will include the new cover.
In the official release, the company states that the original foam facial interface does not feature any hazardous materials and that the number of reported cases is “in line with expectations” according to leading dermatologists and toxicologists.
“These experts have advised that skin irritation can occur in some segments of the population from many household items—even things like tomatoes or shampoo—and that the rates we’ve seen are in line with expectations,” said Andrew Bosworth, Head of Facebook Reality Labs. “Our investigation determined that our manufacturing process is safe, meaning no unexpected nor hazardous contaminants were found in the Quest 2 foam interface or manufacturing process.”
To receive a replacement face cover, head to the official Oculus website and log in to your account using your Oculus ID or Facebook. Next, head to the “My Devices” tab to request a Quest 2 silicone cover. From here, it’s just a matter of submitting your shipping information and submitting your request. You can find additional information here.
When the Quest 2 returns to sale next month, customers will be able to purchase a brand new 128GB headset in replacement of the original 64GB model. We first heard rumors of a potential 128GB Quest 2 earlier this month after a mysterious listing appeared on LDLC and Top Achat websites. Turns out these listings were accurate.
The 128GB Oculus Quest 2 will be available for $299, the same price as the 64GB model. These headsets will also feature the new silicone face cover, ensuring maximum comfort as you sweat through a few rounds of Supernatural or GORN.
“We hope the larger storage size will give people more flexibility to instantly access and manage more content on a single device, while the new silicone cover will give people more ways to have a comfortable experience with both the 128GB and 256GB Quest,” added Bosworth.
For more information check out the official blog update here.
Feature Image Credit: Facebook, Oculus
