Is the future of live, televised basketball in virtual reality? Meta’s bettin’ on it.
On Wednesday, October 25, Facebook’s parent company announced that 52 free live NBA games will stream in virtual reality via Meta Quest’s Xtadium and Meta Horizon Worlds.
Unlike last season, all NBA games in Xtadium will be available in 180-degree VR. The games began airing on Meta in Week 1 of the 2023–2024 NBA season.
Basketball content on Meta
Meta Quest brings an immersive NBA experience to fans during the 2023–2024 season with a lineup of 52 live games. But the excitement doesn’t stop there. The VR platform offers a suite of basketball-centric features to elevate your virtual courtside perspective:
- Host watch parties
- Buy licensed team apparel in the Meta Avatar Store (yay, expensive virch-merch!)
- Watch game highlights, recaps, and archival content
- Play interactive mini-games
- Watch NBA League Pass with a mixed-reality experience (requires an NBA League Pass subscription)
Beyond the NBA, Meta carries 20 WNBA games per season. It also hosts select NBA G League and NBA 2K League matchups.
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How to watch the NBA on Meta Quest
Watching NBA games in VR comes with a prerequisite—you’ll need a Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, or Meta Quest Pro headset. Sure, the NBA games are free to stream, but the required gear is a significant investment. List prices for the three headsets range from $299.99 to $999.99.
Once you have a headset, download the free Xtadium app from the Meta Quest Store. Load up the app and take your metaverse avatar to the game.
Pro tip: NBA League Pass subscribers can log in via the NBA Arena in Meta Horizon Worlds to enjoy additional games. However, local and national blackouts still apply in the metaverse.
Meta Quest 2023–2024 NBA schedule
| Game | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks at Charlotte Hornets | October 25, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Memphis Grizzlies at Washington Wizards | October 28, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks | October 30, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder | November 3, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| San Antonio Spurs at Indiana Pacers | November 6, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs | November 10, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Dallas Mavericks at New Orleans Pelicans | November 14, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks | November 17, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. |
| New York Knicks at Charlotte Hornets | November 18, 2023 | 6:00 p.m. |
| Toronto Raptors at Orlando Magic | November 21, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Detroit Pistons at Indiana Pacers | November 24, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers | November 25, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics | November 28, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Indiana Pacers at Miami Heat | December 2, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Denver Nuggets at Atlanta Hawks | December 11, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat | December 14, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets | December 16, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. |
| LA Clippers at Indiana Pacers | December 18, 2023 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Los Angeles Lakers at Chicago Bulls | December 20, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| San Antonio Spurs at Chicago Bulls | December 21, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks | December 23, 2023 | 8:30 p.m. |
| New York Knicks at Oklahoma City Thunder | December 27, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves | December 30, 2023 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Boston Celtics at Oklahoma City Thunder | January 2, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Utah Jazz at Philadelphia 76ers | January 6, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers | January 8, 2024 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Portland Trail Blazers at New York Knicks | January 9, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. |
| New York Knicks at Memphis Grizzlies | January 13, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Indiana Pacers at Utah Jazz | January 15, 2024 | 9:00 p.m. |
| San Antonio Spurs at Washington Wizards | January 20, 2024 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Denver Nuggets at Washington Wizards | January 21, 2024 | 6:00 p.m. |
| Cleveland Cavaliers at Milwaukee Bucks | January 26, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Oklahoma City Thunder at Detroit Pistons | January 28, 2024 | 6:00 p.m. |
| New Orleans Pelicans at Boston Celtics | January 29, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Miami Heat at Washington Wizards | February 2, 2024 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Brooklyn Nets at Philadelphia 76ers | February 3, 2024 | 6:00 p.m. |
| Dallas Mavericks at Philadelphia 76ers | February 5, 2024 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Charlotte Hornets at Milwaukee Bucks | February 9, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Denver Nuggets at Milwaukee Bucks | February 12, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies | February 26, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Indiana Pacers at New Orleans Pelicans | March 1, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Portland Trail Blazers at Minnesota Timberwolves | March 4, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Phoenix Suns at Cleveland Cavaliers | March 11, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Denver Nuggets at San Antonio Spurs | March 15, 2024 | 8:30 p.m. |
| Cleveland Cavaliers at Houston Rockets | March 16, 2024 | 5:00 p.m. |
| Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks | March 21, 2024 | 8:30 p.m. |
| Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves | March 24, 2024 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder | March 29, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Los Angeles Lakers at Brooklyn Nets | March 31, 2024 | 6:00 p.m. |
| New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls | April 5, 2024 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Sacramento Kings at Brooklyn Nets | April 7, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers | April 12, 2024 | 7:00 p.m. |
*Geo-restrictions apply. Games not available in all regions, and viewers located near the physical event may be unable to view it based on localized restrictions. Xtadium is only available in the U.S.
†Schedule subject to change.
NBA in Meta Quest FAQ
How much does the NBA VR cost?
NBA VR games are free to watch, but you’ll need a Meta Quest headset to unlock access. The Meta Quest 2 is the cheapest headset—typically priced around $299.99. You can also watch more NBA games in VR with an NBA League Pass subscription ($14.99–$22.99/mo.).
Does Oculus have NBA 2K?
The core NBA 2K video game series isn’t available on Meta Quest, but Oculus Rift users can get the NBA 2KVR Experience game. Live NBA 2K League matches are also available to stream via Xtadium and NBA Arena in Meta Horizon Worlds.
Are NBA VR games free
Yes, select NBA games are free to watch in virtual reality. However, you’ll need a compatible Meta Quest headset to tune in.
