Meta decides not to shut down Horizon Worlds on VR after all

Meta Reverses Course: Horizon Worlds VR Support Stays Alive — But Is the Metaverse Dream Dead?

In a surprising turn of events, Meta has announced it will continue supporting Horizon Worlds on its Quest VR headsets, reversing an earlier decision to shut down the virtual reality version of its once-hyped metaverse platform. The news, revealed by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth in an Instagram post, has sent shockwaves through the tech world — and possibly saved the app for the five die-hard fans still using it.

“We have decided, just today in fact, that we will keep Horizon Worlds working in VR,” Bosworth said in an Instagram Stories Q&A, responding to a fan who said they were “heartbroken” over the original shutdown plan.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed the reversal to TechCrunch, marking a dramatic pivot for a company that once saw Horizon Worlds as the future of social interaction in virtual reality.

The Metaverse Bubble Bursts

Meta’s about-face comes after a brutal reckoning with the harsh realities of the VR market. Earlier this year, the company signaled it would stop supporting Horizon Worlds on Quest headsets, acknowledging that the metaverse — at least as envisioned in VR — had become a financial black hole.

Since 2021, when Facebook rebranded to Meta, Reality Labs (the division responsible for VR, AR, and metaverse projects) has lost a staggering $73 billion. To put that in perspective: you’d need to spend $1 million every single day for 200 years to burn through that kind of cash.

The numbers tell a grim story. According to IDC, Meta’s Quest headset sales dropped 16% year-over-year from 2024 to 2025. Even Apple, with its premium $3,500 Vision Pro headset, has struggled — reportedly scaling back production due to disappointing demand.

Meta’s Response: Cuts, Closures, and Strategic Shifts

Facing these harsh realities, Meta has taken drastic measures. In January, the company laid off over 1,500 employees in Reality Labs and shuttered several game studios. Rumors are now swirling that Meta is considering another massive round of layoffs that could impact up to 20% of the company.

But the strategy isn’t just about cutting costs — it’s about pivoting. Bosworth revealed on a podcast with journalist Alex Heath that Horizon Worlds is now focusing on mobile because it has better “product-market fit” there.

“There’s a much bigger audience in mobile, and it’s having a really positive pickup on mobile,” Bosworth explained. “The team is having to build everything twice — they’re building it once for the mobile phone, and they’re building it again for VR. There’s a pretty easy way to increase their velocity, which is just like, let them build for mobile.”

Mobile Momentum vs. VR Stagnation

The mobile strategy appears to be working, at least in terms of user acquisition. Mobile intelligence firm Appfigures reports that the Horizon Worlds mobile app has seen 45 million total worldwide downloads across iOS and Google Play, with 1.5 million downloads in 2026 alone — a 53% year-over-year increase.

However, there’s a catch: Appfigures estimates that consumers have spent just $1.1 million on the app since its launch. That’s barely a rounding error compared to Meta’s $73 billion metaverse investment.

The VR Question: Dead or Just Sleeping?

While Horizon Worlds will continue on Quest headsets, the fact that Meta considered shutting it down speaks volumes about VR’s current state. The technology that once promised to revolutionize how we work, play, and socialize has instead become a cautionary tale about overinvestment in unproven platforms.

Meta’s decision to keep Horizon Worlds on VR while prioritizing mobile development reveals a company caught between its ambitious vision and market realities. It’s not abandoning VR entirely — but it’s certainly not doubling down either.

What This Means for the Future

The metaverse isn’t dead, but it’s definitely evolving. Meta’s pivot from VR-centric to mobile-centric development suggests that the future of virtual worlds might look less like science fiction and more like sophisticated mobile apps with social features.

For VR enthusiasts, this news is a temporary reprieve — but it also highlights the technology’s struggle to achieve mainstream adoption. For Meta, it’s a reminder that even $73 billion can’t force consumers to embrace a vision they’re not ready for.

The real question now isn’t whether Horizon Worlds will survive on Quest headsets — it’s whether Meta can find a sustainable path forward in a market that has consistently rejected its biggest bets.

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