Meta announced a formal separation of its Horizon Worlds platform from the Quest VR ecosystem. Samantha Ryan, Vice President of Content for Reality Labs, detailed the strategic shift in a blog post. The decision aligns with recent Reality Labs budget reductions and Mark Zuckerberg’s pivot toward AI hardware.
“We’re explicitly separating our Quest VR platform from our Worlds platform in order to create more space for both products to grow,” Ryan stated. The company plans to double down on its VR developer ecosystem while shifting Horizon Worlds’ focus to be almost exclusively mobile. This structural change aims to allow clear focus on each distinct platform.
The move reverses Meta’s original vision of a unified immersive virtual world designed as the future home for online interaction. This reversal coincides with the company’s broader financial strategy. Mark Zuckerberg has publicly committed to focusing Meta on AI hardware, such as smart glasses, influencing Reality Labs’ direction.
Meta has been developing mobile and web versions of Horizon Worlds in parallel with its VR application since at least 2023. The shift to a mobile-first software platform positions Horizon Worlds as a direct competitor to Roblox and Fortnite. These platforms also offer user-created and monetizable worlds and games.
Meta cites a scaling advantage for Horizon Worlds due to its ability to connect games to “billions of people on the world’s biggest social networks.” This potential reach facilitates business growth within the mobile market. The strategy leverages Meta’s existing social infrastructure to expand user access beyond VR headsets.
Earlier in 2025, Meta closed several of its own VR game studios. Despite these closures, the company continues to support third-party developers publishing on the Quest platform. New tools are being introduced to aid these developers.
Meta implemented new monetization tools and improved discoverability features for third-party developers. The introduction of a “Deals” tab offers better access to game sales. Additional features provide more ways for developers to communicate directly with their customers. Maintaining a robust library of games remains a priority for the Quest platform.
Business Insider reported in December 2025 that Meta was developing a gaming-focused Quest headset. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth confirmed in February that the company still has multiple Quest devices on its roadmap. This indicates continued hardware development despite the strategic separation of platforms.
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