#Meta is #closing three #VRstudios, #TwistedPixelGames, #SanzaruGames, and #ArmatureStudio, as part of a 10% reduction in its #RealityLabs metaverse division. The company is #shifting investment from the Metaverse towards #Wearables. https://www.theverge.com/news/861420/meta-reality-labs-layoffs-vr-studios-twisted-pixel-sanzaru-armature?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

#Roblox’s #ageverification system, implemented to address child predator concerns, is reportedly #flawed. The system is #misclassifying users’ ages, leading to adults being grouped with children and vice versa. This has caused frustration among developers and a significant drop in chat usage. https://www.engadget.com/gaming/robloxs-age-verification-system-is-reportedly-a-trainwreck-220320016.html?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

#Meta is laying off 1,500 employees from its #RealityLabs division, which works on #virtualreality products, as the company shifts focus away from #themetaverse and towards AI devices like #smartglasses. This move comes after Reality Labs lost over $77 billion since 2020. https://futurism.com/future-society/meta-reality-vr-layoffs?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

#Meta’s #metaverse ambitions have faltered, leading to significant layoffs in its #RealityLabs division and the closure of several #VR #gamestudios. The company’s heavy investment in VR, totalling $73 billion, failed to yield substantial returns, with declining #Oculus headset sales and limited adoption of #metaverseapps. https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/19/well-there-goes-the-metaverse/?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»Well, there goes #themetaverse!« https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/19/well-there-goes-the-metaverse/?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»Has #Meta just killed #virtualreality?« https://www.thegamebusiness.com/p/has-meta-just-killed-virtual-reality?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»Meta CTO: Metaverse Efforts Led to a “lack of focus” on Quest “at expense of user experience”« https://www.roadtovr.com/meta-cto-metaverse-efforts-led-to-a-lack-of-focus-on-quest-at-expense-of-user-experience/?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»#Meta’s pivot to AI closes the chapter on #themetaverse #experiment.« https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bkxtspsr11x?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»#Meta retreats from #themetaverse after #virtualrealitycheck.« https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/16/meta_quest_horizon_workrooms/?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»After the #VR earthquake at #Meta: End of an era and a #newbeginning.« https://www.heise.de/en/background/After-the-VR-earthquake-at-Meta-End-of-an-era-and-a-new-beginning-11145149.html?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

#Meta’s #RealityLabs, responsible for #metaverse development, reported a $6.02 billion loss in Q4, a 21% increase year-over-year. Despite the losses, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expects them to peak this year as the company shifts focus towards AI and wearable devices. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/28/metas-reality-labs-posts-6point02-billion-loss-in-fourth-quarter.html?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

Google’s Project Genie allows users to try the company’s Genie 3 world model, which generates images and reacts to user movement. To access Project Genie, users need a $250/month AI Ultra subscription and must be in the US and 18+. https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-project-genie-lets-you-generate-your-own-interactive-worlds-183646186.html?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»#TheMetaverse Isn’t Dead. It’s Turning Into A #CustomerData #Powerhouse.« https://www.forbes.com/sites/cortneyharding/2026/01/21/forget-virtual-land-the-metaverses-new-currency-is-data/?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»Six Years of #ValveIndex: The Rise and Fall of the Popular PC #VRHeadset.« https://www.heise.de/en/background/Six-Years-of-Valve-Index-The-Rise-and-Fall-of-the-Popular-PC-VR-Headset-11143649.html?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»Why the #EU has launched a #virtualworlds #partnership.« https://sciencebusiness.net/news/r-d-funding/horizon-europe/explained-why-eu-has-launched-virtual-worlds-partnership?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»Is the whole universe just a simulation?« https://theconversation.com/is-the-whole-universe-just-a-simulation-268177?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

#Meta’s recent layoffs in its #RealityLabs unit, particularly those affecting #VR related initiatives, have sparked concerns about the future of #virtualreality. VR developers worry about the impact on their industry, some remain optimistic about the long-term potential of VR, particularly in the enterprise market. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/24/metas-reality-labs-cuts-sparked-fears-of-a-vr-winter.html?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

#Roblox’s Q4 2025 saw #explosivegrowth, driven by #internationalexpansion and a rapidly growing, higher-spending #18plus user base. The company is boosting #creatorpayouts as a core strategy, with developer exchange fees growing 70% year over year. Roblox is also heavily investing in #AI to expand content and complexity. https://www.pymnts.com/earnings/2026/roblox-posts-breakout-q4-after-chasing-older-core-gaming-market/?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»#Google's #ProjectGenie Makes Real-time Explorable #VirtualWorlds, Offering a Peek Into #VR's Future.« https://www.roadtovr.com/googles-project-genie-makes-real-time-explorable-virtual-worlds-offering-a-peek-into-vrs-future/?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures

»What’s next for #VR now that #Meta’s dumped #themetaverse?« https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/01/31/nobody-mourns-the-metaverse-what-went-wrong-with-zuckerbergs-vision-and-what-is-next-for-v?Metaver.se #Metaverse #VirtualWorlds #XR #VR #MR #AR #BeyondPictures