Meta is ending support of its Quest 1 VR headset in 2024.

The firm - formerly known as Facebook - has sent emails to users of the virtual reality headset announcing it will stop updating it with new features and stop the ability to start or join parties.

Prior to then, on March 5, 2023, Meta Horizon Home social features will be defunct.

The headset, priced at £400, only launched in 2019, and was then known as the Oculus Quest.

The folding of the Quest 1 comes three months after Meta announced it was stopping Quest 1 support for 'Population: ONE'.

Hailed as a state-of-the-art VR social gaming experience, the battle-royale shooter was no longer playable as of October 31.

Meta's developer BigBox VR claimed the reason for the support ending was so they could focus on making new titles “that will push the boundaries of multiplayer VR.”

Meta spokesperson Caiti Sullivan added to The Verge that it is “working out the details of an ecosystem-wide end-of-support process,” and insisted “other developers who choose to end support for apps on Quest 1 will be able to do so.”

The firm acquired BigBox VR in 2016.

The social media giant - which purchased Oculus Rift in 2014 - continued its gaming purchases by obtaining the 'Population: ONE' developer.

Then-Facebook praised 'Population: One' for its social elements.

Former Facebook Reality Labs executive Mike Verdu - who was hired by Netflix to lead its gaming department - said in a blog post at the time: "POP: ONE stormed onto the VR scene just nine months ago and has consistently ranked as one the top-performing titles on the Oculus platform, bringing together up to 24 people at a time to connect, play, and compete in a virtual world.

"While social is bringing players into POP: ONE, the quirky humor, continual updates, and pure fun of the environment keeps them coming back time and time again - we've even seen players scheduling time to meet in-game for a synchronous social experience."