Meta, Facebook's Parent Company, Shuts Down VR World Horizon Worlds - Meta abandons VR dreams as Horizon Worlds shuts down in June

Meta is scaling back its virtual reality ambitions after years of heavy investment. The company's flagship platform, Horizon Worlds, will shut down in VR by mid-June, marking a shift in strategy. While Meta once championed VR as the future of computing, its focus has now turned to artificial intelligence.

Horizon Worlds, Meta's social VR platform, will stop supporting Quest headsets on June 15. After that date, users will only access it as a mobile app. The move follows the closure of Horizon Workrooms, a VR workspace tool, and several in-house VR studios.

Meta's Reality Labs division, responsible for Quest headsets and VR projects, has reported billions in quarterly losses. Despite this, the company shipped 1.7 million Quest devices in 2025, outperforming competitors with its $349 starting price. However, recent shipment data for rival brands remains unclear. Founder Mark Zuckerberg had previously positioned VR as the next major computing platform. But with slower-than-expected progress, Meta is now prioritising AI. The company plans to invest hundreds of billions in expanding data centres and developing AI-powered smart glasses. These glasses will include cameras, microphones, and small speakers.

The end of Horizon Worlds in VR signals a major change for Meta's technology strategy. While Quest headsets will still be sold, the company's future lies in AI and wearable devices. The shift comes after years of financial losses and slower-than-anticipated growth in virtual reality.