Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is streamlining its operations by shutting down three VR gaming studios as part of its metaverse division restructuring. Twisted Pixel Games, Sanzaru Games, and Armature Studio are among the affected developers, signaling a shift in Meta’s focus within the virtual reality space.
The closures come as Meta plans to reduce about 10 percent of its Reality Labs metaverse division, aligning resources with its strategic objectives. Twisted Pixel Games, known for Marvel’s Deadpool VR, Sanzaru Games with the Asgard’s Wrath franchise, and Armature Studio involved in the Resident Evil 4 VR port, are facing closures according to internal memos.
Supernatural, the VR fitness app developed by Meta, will no longer receive new content development, although ongoing support for the existing product will continue. Former employees from the affected studios have confirmed the layoffs on social media, highlighting the impact of Meta’s restructuring decisions on the gaming industry.
Meta’s acquisitions of these studios in recent years, including Within, Twisted Pixel, Armature, and Sanzaru, aimed to strengthen its position in the VR market. However, these closures reflect the company’s evolving priorities, with a shift towards wearable technology investments over metaverse development.
This move by Meta underscores the dynamic nature of the tech industry and the competitive landscape of virtual reality. As one of the key players in shaping the future of the metaverse, Meta’s strategic realignment may have broader implications for the VR gaming sector and the evolving metaverse ecosystem.
Source: The Verge