At the last minute, Meta decides not to kill Horizon Worlds VR after all

In a surprising turn of events, Meta has announced it will continue supporting the virtual reality experience in Horizon Worlds, despite earlier plans to phase it out. This decision was communicated by Andrew Bosworth, Meta's Chief Technology Officer, during a recent Q&A session on Instagram. Bosworth reassured users that Horizon Worlds would remain operational in VR, responding to concerns over the previous announcement suggesting a complete withdrawal. However, he clarified that only existing VR games and experiences will continue to receive support. New titles will be exclusively launched for mobile devices, reflecting a significant pivot in the company's strategic focus. Earlier this year, Meta revealed plans to transition Horizon Worlds toward predominantly mobile experiences, signaling a major shift in its development priorities. This includes an overhaul of its VR software marketplace, which will now prioritize third-party developers over its own first-party projects. In a related context, the company had also laid off approximately 1,000 employees from its Reality Labs division, mainly affecting teams dedicated to creating in-house VR content for the Quest headsets. The future of Horizon Worlds may now hinge on how effectively Meta can balance its VR ambitions with its mobile-first strategy.