Metas VR Studios Shutdown: A Shift in Focus to AI and Wearable Tech

Several former employees have reported layoffs in Meta’s VR studios. Among those affected are Twisted Pixel Games, known for the Splosion Man and Comic Jumper series, as well as Sanzaru Games, the developer behind Asgard’s Wrath for the original Oculus Rift.

Founded in 2006, Twisted Pixel Games gained recognition for its successful titles on Xbox Live Arcade, including The Maw and Ms. Splosion Man. In November 2021, the studio became part of Meta, and last year, it released Marvel’s Deadpool VR for the Meta Quest 3.

Sanzaru Games also emerged in 2006 and primarily focused on ports and remasters of PlayStation titles like Secret Agent Clank, The Sly Collection, and God of War Collection. In 2019, the studio launched Asgard’s Wrath for Oculus Rift, and post-acquisition by Meta, it worked on a sequel.

The closure of the studios was confirmed by developers on social media. Andy Gentile, a designer at Twisted Pixel Games, wrote on X: “I just got laid off. It seems the entire Twisted Pixel studio has been shut down. The same goes for Sanzaru Games.”

Ray West, a senior designer at Sanzaru Games, mentioned on LinkedIn: “Today several Meta game studios closed, including Sanzaru. The team was incredible, but now it’s time to move on—I’m open to new opportunities.”

According to The New York Times, Meta plans to cut around 10% of its Reality Labs workforce, which is responsible for VR devices, gaming, and metaverse developments. Andrew Bosworth, the director of Reality Labs, held a meeting with staff, describing it as the “most important” of the year.

It seems the company is gradually winding down its VR projects and reallocating resources towards artificial intelligence research and the development of wearable devices, including smart glasses and wristbands.

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