What just happened? Sales of the Oculus Quest 2, the most popular VR headset by far among Steam Survey participants, have been temporarily suspended following reports of users experiencing adverse skin reactions after wearing the device.
Oculus announced a voluntary recall of the Quest 2 “in response to reports from a very small percentage of users who have experienced skin irritation where the foam portion of the facial interface rests on the skin.” The company writes that this is a joint recall “in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).”
Owners of the headset will be provided with replacement silicone covers, free of charge, that fit over the current foam interfaces—you can request one here. Oculus will be including these new covers in every Quest 2 box starting on August 24.
Oculus says it conducted a comprehensive investigation into the issue. While it found no contamination or unexpected substances, it discovered a few trace substances that are normally present in the manufacturing process that could contribute to skin discomfort.
Only about 0.01% of people using the Quest 2 have reported skin problems, but the company still changed the way the headsets are manufactured out of an abundance of caution. It also consulted with dermatology and toxicology experts who said the irritation is not an allergic reaction and should go away by itself.
When the Quest 2 does go back on sale in a few weeks, Oculus will debut the new 128GB SKU that sits alongside the 256GB Quest 2 ($399). The new entry-level model replaces the 64GB version without adding to the $299 price.
https://www.techspot.com/news/90579-facebook-suspends-oculus-quest-2-sales-over-skin.html
