Meta's VR platform Horizon Worlds is struggling to keep users: Report

Facebook parent Meta’s flagship product, 'Horizon Worlds' that aims to provide a comprehensive metaverse experience to users has reportedly failed to take off. Horizon Worlds is a free virtual reality (VR) app created by Meta where individuals can select an avatar and interact with one another in the virtual space.

According to a report by the World Street Journal, after rebranding last year (from Facebook), Mark Zuckerberg-owned Meta had announced an ambitious target of having 500,000 monthly active users on board. However, the current number of users stands at a meagre 200,000, thereby failing to meet internal performance expectations.

Now, the company has already reduced the projection to 280,000 by the end of the year. While the user numbers were alarming low, the WSJ article further noted that those logging in to Horizon Worlds, did not return to the platform after the first month. “Only about nine per cent of these virtual venues are visited by more than 50 users, and that most users don’t return after one month of using the platform”, the report said.

It has been estimated that since last year, Meta's shares have gone down more than 60%, losing $700 billion in market value.

Last week, Zuckerberg launched a $1500 Quest Pro headset for business users, a VR headset, which contains an advanced mobile Snapdragon computer chip. The attempt, as many believe, was to create greater excitement around the product Meta has developed in connection to its metaverse ambition.

There are other problems too that have gripped Meta in recent times. Last week Meta said that the login information of around a million users was potentially compromised. According to the official statement, the leak happened due to “malicious apps”. The applications were listed on Google Play Store and the Apple Store as games and other types of apps to trick people into downloading them and accessed the phone through the Facebook welcome page.

Meta is not also facing intense competition from platforms like TikTok and is even facing scrutiny from regulators.