Horizon Worlds was originally part of the company's ambitions towards the metaverse. This term is no longer in use, and now the company is abandoning its initial focus on VR.
According to Samantha Ryan, Vice President of Content at Reality Labs, the Quest VR platform will be separated from the Horizon Worlds ecosystem. This is necessary to tap into a much larger market and compete in the “synchronous social games” segment.
By this term, the company likely refers to various mobile games and UGC content. In 2025, several studios joined the author support program, including Do Big Studio (creators of the Roblox hit Steal a Brainrot). Last year, four content creators for Worlds earned one million dollars, while payouts for another hundred reached six-figure sums.
Concerning VR games, Meta* is cutting back investments in its own projects, instead focusing on supporting third-party developers. The main reason is that Oculus Studios titles account for only 14% of time spent in virtual reality headsets.
Earlier, the company implemented significant cuts in the unprofitable Reality Labs division. It laid off approximately 1,500 people and closed three VR studios: Twisted Pixel Games (Marvel’s Deadpool VR), Sanzaru Games (Asgard’s Wrath), and Armature Studio (Resident Evil 4 VR).
*Meta is recognized as an extremist company in Russia, and its activities are prohibited within the country.