Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has announced the shutdown of its virtual reality social experience, Horizon Worlds. This move is part of Meta’s broader restructuring efforts to streamline its operations.
The decision to discontinue Horizon Worlds was communicated to users via email, with the VR world set to be removed from Quest VR headsets by March 31. By June 15, the VR worlds will be completely shut down, transitioning to a mobile platform.
Meta’s foray into Horizon Worlds was a significant step towards realizing the concept of the metaverse, a fully immersive virtual environment. However, despite Meta’s substantial investments and partnerships with renowned brands and artists for virtual events, the service failed to gain significant traction compared to platforms like VRChat.
Notably, Horizon Worlds faced criticism for its initial technical issues and limited user engagement, often being associated with younger audiences. Meta’s decision to discontinue the service follows previous layoffs within its Reality Labs division, indicating a strategic shift towards more sustainable VR initiatives.
This development raises questions about Meta’s future VR strategies and the evolving landscape of virtual reality platforms, emphasizing the challenges of creating engaging and profitable virtual experiences.
Source: WIRED