Meta is overhauling its immersive platform Horizon Worlds, signaling a major shift away from its earlier metaverse ambitions and toward a mobile-first strategy.
The company said Thursday that Horizon Worlds will now focus “almost exclusively on mobile,” as it separates the platform from its Quest virtual reality ecosystem. The move marks a significant change in direction for Meta, which had heavily invested in virtual reality as the foundation of its metaverse vision.
Horizon Worlds, launched in 2021 as a VR-based social platform, was later expanded to web and mobile.
Meta now says prioritizing mobile access will allow it to reach a broader audience and compete more directly with popular gaming platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite.
“We’re going all-in on mobile,” Samantha Ryan, vice president of content at Meta’s Reality Labs division, said in a blog post. She added that the company aims to deliver large-scale social gaming experiences by leveraging its global network of users across its apps.
The shift comes amid mounting losses within Reality Labs, Meta’s division focused on virtual reality and smart glasses. The unit has recorded losses of nearly $80 billion since 2020.
In recent months, Meta has also scaled back operations within the division. Reports indicate the company laid off about 1,500 employees, roughly 10% of Reality Labs staff, and shut down several VR game studios. The VR fitness app Supernatural, acquired in 2023, is also being moved into maintenance mode, with no new content planned.
Despite the changes, Meta says it remains committed to developing VR hardware. Ryan said the company has a “robust roadmap” of future headsets designed for different market segments as the technology evolves.
The latest update underscores a broader strategic shift at Meta, as the company redirects resources from its metaverse vision toward artificial intelligence. Meta is now prioritizing AI development, including wearable devices and its own AI models, as it seeks new avenues for growth.