Meta abandons its VR-centric vision for Horizon Worlds, splitting the platform to prioritize mobile users as VR adoption stalls, introducing new creation tools while facing layoffs and established competition.
Four years after rebranding from Facebook to Meta and betting heavily on virtual reality, the company is radically shifting its metaverse strategy. According to Samantha Ryan, Meta's VP of Content at Reality Labs, Horizon Worlds is transitioning to an "almost exclusively mobile" platform. This pivot acknowledges the plateauing consumer interest in dedicated VR hardware as standalone headsets failed to achieve mainstream adoption.
The restructuring involves cleaving Horizon Worlds from Meta's Quest VR ecosystem. On Quest devices, Horizon Worlds destinations are being removed from the VR store, and the Worlds section will disappear from the home screen interface. Instead, Quest will focus on third-party content partnerships rather than Meta's first-party virtual environments.
Meanwhile, Horizon Worlds' mobile incarnation shows promising traction. Throughout 2025, mobile-exclusive worlds grew from zero to over 2,000, while monthly active users quadrupled. This growth validates Meta's new direction toward smartphone accessibility, eliminating the $300+ hardware barrier that limited VR adoption.
To support mobile creators, Meta is expanding its development toolkit. The Meta Horizon Studio provides simplified world-building interfaces optimized for touchscreens, while the Meta Horizon Engine enables advanced interactivity like physics simulations and multiplayer systems within mobile constraints. These tools lower the creation barrier compared to VR development pipelines.
Monetization follows mobile gaming conventions with featured content bundles and season passes. This positions Horizon Worlds against established platforms like Roblox and Fortnite Creative, though Meta's late entry faces significant catch-up challenges. The shift coincides with Reality Labs cutting 10% of its workforce, indicating internal recalibration.
While VR remains available for enthusiasts through Quest hardware, Meta's strategic retreat from positioning it as the primary metaverse gateway marks a significant course correction. The mobile-first approach leverages existing devices but must overcome entrenched competitors in the increasingly crowded social gaming space.
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