Meta Reverses Course on Horizon Worlds VR Shutdown Decision
Meta’s Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth announced through an Instagram Stories session that the company has changed its mind about discontinuing virtual reality support for Horizon Worlds, responding to user feedback about the planned shutdown.
During a question-and-answer session on Instagram, Bosworth revealed the reversal after a user expressed disappointment about the original decision to end VR functionality. A company representative later validated these statements to media outlets.
The social media giant had previously announced plans to eliminate VR compatibility for its metaverse platform on Quest headsets by mid-June, transitioning the service exclusively to web and mobile platforms. This represented a significant retreat from Meta’s earlier vision of Horizon Worlds as a cornerstone of virtual reality social interaction.
The near-shutdown highlights the broader challenges facing Meta’s metaverse ambitions. The company’s Reality Labs division, responsible for VR and AR development, has accumulated losses exceeding $73 billion since 2021, when Facebook rebranded itself as Meta. This staggering figure represents spending equivalent to $1 million daily for two centuries.
Market research from IDC indicates that Quest headset sales declined by 16 percent between 2024 and 2025, suggesting limited consumer adoption of VR technology. Meta isn’t alone in facing these challenges, as Apple also reduced production of its $3,500 Vision Pro headset due to insufficient market demand.
In response to these setbacks, Meta implemented substantial workforce reductions in its Reality Labs division during January, affecting more than 1,500 employees and closing multiple gaming studios. Industry reports suggest the company may pursue additional layoffs affecting up to 20 percent of its workforce.
Despite maintaining VR support, Meta continues prioritizing mobile development for Horizon Worlds. Bosworth explained in a recent podcast interview that the platform demonstrates stronger market performance on mobile devices compared to virtual reality.
The executive noted that developing for both platforms simultaneously creates inefficiencies, as teams must create separate versions for mobile and VR. He emphasized that mobile platforms offer access to larger audiences and show more promising user engagement metrics.
Data from mobile analytics firm Appfigures reveals that Horizon Worlds has achieved 45 million downloads across iOS and Android platforms, with 1.5 million downloads recorded in 2026 so far. This represents a 53 percent increase compared to the previous year’s performance during the same period.
However, total consumer spending within the application remains minimal at approximately $1.1 million, a negligible amount relative to Meta’s substantial metaverse investments. While mobile platforms offer greater potential than VR headsets, the company requires significantly higher user spending to justify continued development of Horizon Worlds.
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash