Meta has announced the discontinuation of Horizon Workrooms as a standalone application, marking another step in the company’s strategic shift away from its metaverse ambitions. In a blog post published Thursday, Meta confirmed that users will no longer be able to access the app after February 16, after which all associated data will be permanently deleted. Launched in 2021, Horizon Workrooms was designed as a virtual reality platform for remote teams to collaborate in immersive 3D environments. It was a central part of Meta’s broader vision to build a metaverse ecosystem where people could work, socialize, and interact in virtual spaces. However, the platform has not gained widespread adoption, and its future has been in question amid ongoing restructuring within the company’s Reality Labs division. The decision comes as Meta prepares to lay off between 10% and 15% of its Reality Labs workforce—approximately 1,500 to 2,250 employees—according to reports from The New York Times. This follows a series of cost-cutting measures as Meta refocuses its resources on artificial intelligence, a priority that has increasingly taken precedence over long-term metaverse investments. Since 2020, Meta’s metaverse initiatives have accumulated more than $70 billion in losses, prompting leadership to reevaluate the business model. The company has acknowledged that the path to a viable metaverse remains uncertain, and recent internal communications reflect growing pressure to deliver results. In a memo obtained by Business Insider last year, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, who oversees metaverse development, labeled 2025 as “the most critical” year of his tenure. While Horizon Workrooms is being retired, Meta said its Horizon managed services will no longer be available for purchase starting February 20. However, existing customers will continue to receive support until the beginning of 2030. The company also noted that Horizon has evolved into a broader social platform, now supporting a range of productivity tools and third-party applications, signaling a pivot toward a more flexible, app-driven approach rather than a fully immersive virtual workspace.