Meta has reversed its decision to discontinue VR support for Horizon Worlds, the virtual environment service once positioned as a foundational element of its metaverse ambitions. The announcement came from Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, during an Ask Me Anything session on Instagram. “We have decided, just today in fact, that we will keep Horizon Worlds working in VR,” Bosworth stated, responding to user concerns over the previously planned termination of VR functionality.
Bosworth clarified the scope of this reversal: only games and experiences that already support VR will continue to operate in that mode. New titles introduced to Horizon Worlds will be exclusive to mobile platforms. This shift aligns with Meta’s broader strategic pivot, announced in February, to focus “almost exclusively” on mobile development for the service. The majority of the Horizon Worlds team’s resources will now be directed toward mobile rather than VR.
In tandem with this change, Meta is restructuring its marketplace for VR software. The company is emphasizing support for third-party developers over major first-party development efforts. This move follows significant workforce reductions in January, when Meta laid off 1,000 employees from its Reality Labs division. Those cuts primarily affected teams responsible for creating first-party software and content for Meta’s Quest VR headsets.
The decision to retain VR for existing Horizon Worlds content represents a pragmatic adjustment rather than a full recommitment to virtual reality. While the metaverse vision has receded for now, Meta is maintaining a foothold in VR through legacy support, while channeling future growth into mobile accessibility and external developer ecosystems.
