A mere day following Meta’s declaration of discontinuing Horizon Worlds within its virtual reality offering, Andrew Bosworth, the company’s chief technology officer, revealed a change in direction.
“I bring a small piece of encouraging news,” Bosworth conveyed during a live Q&A session on Instagram. “We have opted, just today in fact, to maintain Horizon Worlds’ operation in VR for current titles, aiming to support the dedicated fans who voiced their concerns.”
Meta had originally dispatched an email to Horizon Worlds users on Tuesday, indicating its termination within VR by June 15, yet affirming the platform’s continued availability on mobile devices. This decision followed Meta’s February announcement regarding its redirection of capital away from metaverse and virtual reality endeavors, coupled with a 10 percent workforce reduction within its VR department, Reality Labs.
Meta’s policy reversal is rather astonishing, with Bosworth attributing it to direct user feedback. Upon being sought for a statement regarding Bosworth’s revelation, Meta referenced his Instagram video, further stating the ongoing presence of forthcoming new features, such as online musical performances.
“Engaging 3D and 2D musical events remain obtainable on Quest through the TV application located within the Quest Store,” a spokesperson for Meta communicated in an email. “We anticipate some forthcoming performances as an element of our broader content lineup.”
Individuals will be unable to generate fresh environments within Horizon Worlds, though Meta’s representative indicates that “currently established user-generated realms are encompassed.” WIRED inquired about the timeline for the cessation of new world creation capabilities, but Meta has not disclosed a specific timeframe.
Bosworth and Meta have declared the absence of new titles or significant financial commitments for Horizon World. Meta undertook an analogous action in January concerning its Supernatural fitness service, ceasing subsequent enhancements while maintaining its operational status. He notes that the bulk of user and developer engagement within Horizon Worlds was gravitating towards mobile platforms, consequently, the decision to prioritize that avenue.
“Individuals already possessing favored games which they utilize within Horizon Worlds will be able to acquire the Horizon Worlds application and operate it within VR for the near term,” Bosworth articulated in the recording.
The precise nature of that future remains ambiguous. Meta is evidently not extracting commensurate value from the service relative to its expenditure, thus the imperative for cost reduction persists.
“I question its longevity,” remarks Jitesh Ubrani, a research manager at the analytical firm IDC. “‘The foreseeable future’ lacks the resonance of an unequivocal affirmation of its perpetual existence.”
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