Meta pulls Horizon Worlds from VR as platform shifts to mobile

• The move reflects Meta’s strategy to prioritise scale through mobile rather than niche VR social adoption
• Reality Labs is “right-sizing” spending while continuing to back VR hardware development
• The overhaul comes as Meta reportedly considers layoffs of up to 20% to fund its AI ambitions

Meta has outlined a series of changes to its Quest ecosystem that will see Horizon Worlds fully removed from VR headsets in 2026 as the company continues to reposition its social platform around mobile.

The update follows Meta’s February announcement that it is reshaping its Reality Labs strategy by separating its Quest VR platform from Horizon Worlds and placing renewed emphasis on mobile growth. 

Under the new roadmap, Horizon Worlds and Events will no longer appear in the Quest Store from March 31st 2026, with several flagship worlds, including Horizon Central and Events Arena removed from VR. 

The Horizon Worlds app itself will be fully discontinued on Quest by June 15th 2026, after which the experience will continue exclusively through the Meta Horizon mobile app.

Feature adjustments

Meta is also scaling back parts of its broader Horizon ecosystem. Hyperscape Capture viewing will move into a separate beta app by March 24th, while social features such as sharing and co-experiencing captures will be discontinued. 

In addition, Horizon-specific perks tied to the Meta Horizon Plus subscription, including digital items and in-world purchases, will be removed by the end of March.

The changes also come amid wider restructuring at Meta. Earlier this month, the company was reported to be considering layoffs affecting up to 20% of its workforce as it ramps up investment in AI.