Meta's fitness service Supernatural now features pricing that turns a Quest headset into a much more affordable home gym.
The new pricing was announced during Meta Connect last week but we've just gotten around to looking at how the new pricing fits into Meta's overall VR offerings alongside the holiday 2023 push for Quest 2 and Quest 3.
Supernatural used to be priced $19 per month with an annual membership priced $180. Earlier this year, Meta's acquisition of the fitness service closed after a 15-month delay and Supernatural's new pricing could mark the start of a major new push from the company to support exercise and working out in VR more.
As an independent startup, Supernatural added family plans and merchandise including a simple floor mat that could help center you in your workout space. Celebrities like Elliot Page have become big proponents of the service and we've wondered whether there's potential for virtual gyms to one day be a bigger business than their physical equivalents. For those who haven't tried it yet, Supernatural is very similar to Beat Saber – with lots of popular music available – but it is tuned specifically for exercising, with coaches who talk you through your workouts with motivating words.
Meta pricing Supernatural at $100 per year (or $9.99 per month) alongside the $300 Quest 2 and $500 Quest 3 is already a tempting offer, but it might be just the beginning for the company's aspirations.
New accessories like Meta's charging station for Quest 3 or the Anker Charging Dock for Quest 2 can keep VR ready to go at a moment's notice, just like any other workout equipment you might have in your home. Next year, Supernatural should support Meta's persistent digital objects called Augments, so "you can put a digital portal next to your physical workout gear so every time you walk by it you can easily jump into a Supernatural workout," as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained during the Connect keynote.
Is Meta getting ready to ask gym rats how much time and money they're spending per year on memberships when you factor in the cost of gas to get there? With rumors of a lower cost Quest planned for next year and Supernatural at a new low price, a Quest VR headset may be ready to answer Apple's Fitness+ service sooner rather than later.
