Meta's Metaverse Ambitions Hit a Roadblock as Horizon Worlds Fails to Gain Traction

A recent report sheds light on the challenges Meta is facing in its efforts to establish Horizon Worlds as a leading metaverse platform. According to internal documents cited by The Wall Street Journal, the company's initial goals for the project have not been met, with the number of monthly active users falling short of expectations. Horizon Worlds, a virtual reality social platform that allows users to engage in various activities, was initially expected to attract 500,000 monthly active users by the end of 2022. However, this target has been revised downward to 280,000, with the current user base standing at less than 200,000. In contrast, Meta's social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, boast a combined 3.5 billion monthly active users. The report also notes that most Horizon Worlds users do not return after the first month, and that many of the virtual worlds created by the community are largely empty. Internal statistics suggest that only 9% of these worlds are visited by 50 or more people, with most receiving no visitors at all. Furthermore, the number of concurrent users on Horizon Worlds is said to be lower than that of rival platforms VR Chat and Second Life. A memo from Meta's metaverse vice president, Vishal Shah, highlights the need for the company's employees to use the product more, stating that if they do not love it, they cannot expect users to do so. As a result, Horizon Worlds' performance is not meeting internal expectations, and the application has been put on 'lockdown' until the user experience is improved. The platform's limitations, including its current restriction to virtual reality headsets such as the Meta Quest, may be contributing to its struggles. The company has announced plans to launch a web version for mobile and computer devices, but a launch date has not been shared. Despite the challenges, Meta maintains its commitment to its metaverse efforts, viewing them as a long-term project that will shape the future of computing.