Over 1,000 employees at Meta, tasked with the metaverse, are now seeking new jobs. The firm behind Facebook and Instagram has cut over 1,000 positions from its VR-centric division, Reality Labs. According to Bloomberg, this also entails the closure of VR game development studios like Sanzaru, Twisted Pixel, and Armature.

An internal communication from Meta’s CEO, Andrew Bosworth, revealed a pivot in focus from the metaverse to alternative products, such as wearables. This indicates more items like the Ray-Ban Display smart glasses featuring AI and AR, and fewer offerings like the VR Meta Quest 3.

Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the metaverse concept in 2021, anticipating widespread adoption of VR headsets for social and professional engagement. This vision prompted the company to change its name from Facebook to Meta. While Meta’s Quest headsets achieved some level of popularity as entertainment devices, the metaverse did not evolve into a frequent destination. Reality Labs has reported losses exceeding $70 billion since 2021, as stated by Engadget.

Consequently, more than 1,000 employees are required to pursue new career paths, while the executives who advocated for the metaverse approach continue in their positions.