From The Register, January 16:
Imagine changing your popular brand to capitalize on an emerging tech trend that never emerged. Mark Zuckerberg did just that, and now Meta is backing away from the virtual reality business in which it invested billions.
In 2025, Meta's Reality Labs division, responsible for the company's various VR projects, posted a $4.2 billion loss in the first quarter. AI is in, the metaverse is out, and around 1,000 jobs are reportedly being shed from Reality Labs.
A decision to end the sale of Meta Quest headsets to businesses is further evidence of Meta's pivot. In an update, Meta wrote: "We are stopping sales of Meta Horizon managed services and commercial SKUs of Meta Quest, effective February 20, 2026."....
....MUCH MORE
As a board member and éminence grise of Facebook Marc Andreessen was captain of the cheerleading squad pushing Zuckerberg's metaverse adventures:
"Meta’s $36 Billion Metaverse World Has Less Than 1000 Users" (META)
Possibly related:
Real
Estate (Virtual): Metaverse Property Values Collapse 89% On Realization
That "Virtual" "Real" Estate Is Gibberish and Stupid
The last time I looked Bankman-Fried's FTX auditors were still anchor tenants in their virtual building....
"Microsoft’s Own Metaverse Is Coming, and It Will Have PowerPoint" (also Excel!!!) (MSFT; EVIL)
"Meanings of the metaverse: The Andreessen solution"
EU Spends €387,000 (£332,500) For ‘Global Gateway’ Metaverse, Throws Gala Party For ‘Global Gateway’ Metaverse—6 People Show UpThe metaverse may not be the opportunity that Marc Andreessen has pitched it as....
"Facebook and the CIA (FB; META)"
"Marc Andreessen Has a Pretty Creepy Relationship With Zuck" (FB)
