Meta has announced it will discontinue support for its social VR platform Horizon Worlds on Quest headsets, shifting its focus entirely to the mobile version. This marks a significant pivot away from dedicated VR hardware toward a broader mobile audience.
Reality Labs Vice President Samantha Ryan explained that Meta is ”clearly separating” Horizon Worlds from the Quest ecosystem, aiming to ”change the game completely and tap into a much larger market” by prioritizing mobile devices. This move puts Horizon Worlds in direct competition with established mobile platforms like Roblox and Fortnite, which already boast large user bases.
The strategic shift follows major restructuring within Reality Labs, including layoffs affecting roughly 10% of the team and the shuttering of several VR game studios. Despite winding down Horizon Worlds on VR, Meta continues to invest in new VR hardware, developing headsets tailored for various user segments.
Meta’s decision reflects an adjustment to evolving user preferences and market realities. Mobile platforms offer greater accessibility and scale compared to VR headsets, which remain a niche market globally. By refocusing Horizon Worlds on mobile devices, Meta aims to compete more effectively against dominant social and gaming apps already thriving on smartphones.
Outside the VR space, this reorientation shows Meta’s willingness to balance hefty investments in immersive tech with pragmatic moves toward mass-market opportunities. The big question now is how Horizon Worlds will evolve on mobile and whether it can capture a meaningful share of a crowded social gaming field dominated by Fortnite and Roblox.
* Meta owns Horizon Worlds. The company is designated as an extremist organization and banned in Russia.