Meta is discontinuing its standalone Workrooms app for virtual reality meetings on February 16, 2026, amid broader efforts to reduce spending on the metaverse. The company is laying off more than 1,000 employees from its Reality Labs division and closing three VR studios. This shift prioritizes investments in AI hardware, such as smart glasses.
Meta's Reality Labs division, which has incurred losses exceeding $70 billion since 2021, is undergoing significant restructuring. The company announced the closure of the Workrooms app, a virtual reality space launched for team collaboration in immersive environments. According to Meta, its Horizon platform has advanced sufficiently to integrate a wide range of productivity apps and tools, prompting the decision to end Workrooms as a standalone product.
This move aligns with recent layoffs affecting over 1,000 employees and the shutdown of three VR studios. Meta is redirecting resources toward wearables, including its AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses, rather than metaverse initiatives. Additionally, the company plans to discontinue Horizon managed services—a subscription for managing Quest headsets—in February 2026.
Users of Workrooms will lose access to the app and their data starting February 16, 2026, but can download information beforehand. These changes reflect Meta's evolving focus away from expansive VR development toward more practical AI applications in hardware.
The podcast discussion on Engadget highlighted how these layoffs refocus the company on AI hardware, closing VR studios to streamline operations. TechRadar noted the shutdown of Horizons VR for businesses, underscoring the end of dedicated VR meeting rooms.
