New Technology / Ai Development
Track AI development, model progress, product releases, infrastructure shifts and strategic technology signals across the artificial intelligence sector.
The Metaverse Only Has 900 Users
Topic
Failure of Zuckerberg's Metaverse
Key insights
- Horizon Worlds sits abandoned as a half-baked glitchy mess
- Metas Reality Labs has lost $70 billion since 2020
- The number of daily users in Horizon Worlds could be as low as 900
- Mark Zuckerbergs vision of the Metaverse was an immersive embodied internet
- The Metaverse was supposed to be the next version of the internet
- The average consumer faced immense friction to access the Metaverse
Perspectives
short
Critics of the Metaverse
- Highlights Horizon Worlds as a half-baked glitchy mess
- Warns about the immense consumer friction in adopting VR headsets
- Accuses Meta of failing to define the Metaverse concept internally
- Questions the viability of the Metaverse as a profitable venture
- Denies that the Metaverse has gained traction among users
Supporters of the Metaverse
- Claims that virtual reality technology has potential
- Argues that Metas approach to VR is flawed but the concept remains valid
Neutral / Shared
- Notes that Meta has invested heavily in VR technology
- Mentions that Metas stock has fluctuated significantly during this period
- Acknowledges that some users enjoy VR experiences like VR chat
Metrics
losses
$70 billion USD
total losses incurred by Meta's Reality Labs since 2020
This highlights the financial risks associated with ambitious tech projects.
Metaverse Venture, the reality lab's division, has lost $70 billion since 2020
daily_users
900 users
estimated number of daily users in Horizon Worlds
A low user base indicates a lack of engagement and potential failure of the platform.
the number of daily users in Horizon Worlds could be as low as 900
stock_drop
70%
Meta's stock decline since the start of 2022
A significant stock drop indicates loss of investor confidence and can lead to further financial instability.
By October 2022, Meta Stock had fallen 70% since the start of the year.
layoffs
20,000 employees
Total number of employees laid off by Meta from November 2022 to May 2023
Large-scale layoffs reflect severe operational challenges and can affect company culture and productivity.
From November 2022 to May 2023, the company laid off 20,000 employees or about 25% of their workforce.
daily_users
900 users
daily users of Horizon Worlds in 2023
Low user engagement raises concerns about the viability of the metaverse.
account as low as 900 daily users.
loss
4.4 billion USD
loss incurred by Meta's reality labs division in Q3 2025
Substantial losses highlight the financial risks associated with ongoing investments in the metaverse.
but lost $4.4 billion.
Key entities
Timeline highlights
00:00–05:00
Horizon Worlds, intended as the flagship of the Metaverse, has failed to attract users, resulting in significant financial losses for Meta's Reality Labs.
- Horizon Worlds sits abandoned as a half-baked glitchy mess
- Metas Reality Labs has lost $70 billion since 2020
- The number of daily users in Horizon Worlds could be as low as 900
- Mark Zuckerbergs vision of the Metaverse was an immersive embodied internet
- The Metaverse was supposed to be the next version of the internet
- The average consumer faced immense friction to access the Metaverse
05:00–10:00
Meta's internal struggles with the Metaverse led to significant layoffs and a 70% stock drop, impacting employee morale and product development.
- In 2014, Facebook bought VR leader Oculus
- In 2020, Facebook founded Reality Labs
- John Carmack left Meta in 2022, criticizing their approach to the Metaverse
- Carmack believes the bet on virtual reality is good but disagrees with Metas methods
- Meta employees struggled to define what the Metaverse was
- Zuckerbergs memo in February 2022 encouraged employees to live in the future
10:00–15:00
Meta's Horizon Worlds has seen a drastic decline in user engagement, leading to investor pressure to scale back metaverse investments.
- Horizon Worlds had as low as 900 daily users in 2023
- Investors advised Meta to reduce their metaverse ambitions
- Reality Labs opened Horizon OS for use on non-meta hardware in April 2024
- Metas reality labs division made $470 million in sales but lost $4.4 billion in Q3 2025
- Meta spent two years adding legs to avatars in Horizon Worlds
- Advertising is theorized to be a revenue model for the metaverse, but it hasnt worked yet