Meta’s Metaverse VR ditches virtual reality

The new approach prepares Meta to better compete with platforms like Roblox and fortnitewhich also offers user-created experiences that can be played on your phone. Horizon Worlds was originally launched for VR, but “to really change the game and tap into a much larger market, we’re going completely mobile.”

“We’re in a strong position to deliver synchronous social gaming at scale, thanks to our unique ability to connect those games to billions of people on the world’s largest social networks,” says Ryan. “You saw this strategy start to take shape in 2025, and now, that is our main focus.”

As for VR software, Ryan says Meta is focused on supporting third-party developers. “While we’re proud of the world-class work Oculus Studios has delivered over the years, between 1P and 3P apps, an effective 86% of the time people spend in their VR headsets is with third-party apps.”

But Meta still plans to make virtual reality devices; “We have a robust roadmap for future VR headsets that will be tailored to suit different audience segments as the market grows and matures,” Ryan said. (Those new devices, which can include New Quest flagship headset, It may cost a higher price.)

After an unsuccessful bet on the Metaverse, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is now He sees artificial intelligence as the new social mediaa vision that could include AI-generated games that users can share with others in their feeds. “There are 3D versions of that, there are 2D versions of that, and I think Horizon lends itself well to the kind of immersive 3D version of that,” Zuckerberg said on the company’s website. Latest earnings call.