Meta Reverses Course on Horizon Worlds VR Shutdown After Community Pushback

Daily Technology

20/03/2026

Meta has announced a surprising reversal regarding the future of its virtual reality platform, Horizon Worlds. Just days after reports indicated the company was planning to discontinue VR support for the application, Meta CTO Andrew "Boz" Bosworth confirmed that existing VR games within Horizon Worlds will remain accessible on Meta Quest headsets.

Key Takeaways

Meta will continue to support Horizon Worlds in VR for existing games.
The decision was influenced by community demand for continued VR access.
Meta is shifting its metaverse focus towards mobile platforms, AI, and AR glasses.
Significant layoffs occurred in the Reality Labs division, impacting VR game development.
Despite the pivot, Meta remains committed to the broader metaverse concept.

Community Influence Saves Horizon Worlds VR

In a recent Instagram AMA, Meta CTO Andrew "Boz" Bosworth revealed that the company has decided to keep Horizon Worlds operational in VR for existing games. This decision comes after strong feedback from the community, who expressed a desire to maintain access to the platform on their Meta Quest headsets. Bosworth clarified that games built on the Horizon Unity runtime will continue to function in VR and will not be ported to mobile. However, Meta is not planning to develop new Horizon Worlds games specifically for VR, citing a greater creator and consumer interest in mobile platforms.

Shifting Metaverse Focus to Mobile and AR

Meta has been transparent about its strategic shift away from VR-centric metaverse ambitions towards mobile devices, augmented reality (AR) glasses, and artificial intelligence (AI). Bosworth had previously indicated that the company observed heavier user engagement on mobile platforms. This strategic pivot was underscored by significant layoffs in January, where approximately 1,500 employees, primarily from the Reality Labs division, were let go. These cuts affected developers working on prominent VR titles and led to the discontinuation of support for some popular VR applications.

Reality Labs' Financial Strain and VR Adoption Challenges

The Reality Labs division, responsible for Meta's extended reality (XR) endeavors, including its Ray-Ban smart glasses, has incurred substantial financial losses, burning through roughly $73 billion since 2021. The initial vision of a VR-driven economy where users work and socialize in virtual spaces has not materialized as anticipated. Headset sales have reportedly declined, with Meta's shipments down 16% last year compared to the previous year. Despite the introduction of more affordable headsets like the Quest 3S, widespread VR adoption has remained a challenge.

The Future of Meta's Metaverse Vision

Despite the setbacks and the shift in focus, Meta remains committed to the metaverse concept. Bosworth emphasized that the company envisions users continuing to connect and converse with loved ones in virtual reality spaces. Meta is also exploring new technologies to make AR and XR headsets less isolating. While Horizon Worlds may not have achieved the widespread popularity initially hoped for, and VR adoption faces hurdles, Meta continues to explore innovative ways to integrate its metaverse ambitions into emerging technologies and platforms.

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