Meta Lays Off Thousands of VR Workers as Zuckerberg's Vision Fails
Futurism • • business
Key Points:
- Meta is laying off approximately 1,500 employees from its Reality Labs division, which focuses on virtual reality products, marking nearly 10% of the division's staff being cut as part of a strategic shift away from the metaverse.
- Three VR game studios under Reality Labs have been closed, though Meta's Horizon Worlds VR platform continues to operate in a reduced capacity.
- The layoffs follow reports that Reality Labs lost over $77 billion since 2020, prompting Meta to pivot investment from metaverse projects toward AI-driven wearable devices like its AI smart glasses.
- Despite challenges such as inventory issues and regulatory concerns affecting AI smart glasses, Meta is considering significantly increasing production, potentially up to 30 million units by 2026 if demand supports it
