Meta Rebrands Horizon Worlds to "Worlds" Pivoting to Mobile to Rival Roblox.

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Meta Rebrands Horizon Worlds to "Worlds" Pivoting to Mobile to Rival Roblox.
Meta Pivots Horizon Worlds Strategy: Rebranding to "Worlds" with a Mobile-First Future

Meta has officially announced a major strategic shift for its social metaverse platform. Formerly known as Horizon Worlds, the service is being rebranded simply as "Worlds" as it moves away from being a VR-exclusive experience to embrace a smartphone-centric future.

The Mobile Surge: Capturing a Broader Audience

The decision stems from the massive potential of the mobile gaming market. Meta revealed that the mobile user base for the platform has seen explosive growth, with monthly active users (MAU) increasing fourfold in 2025. To cater to this audience, the company has already fostered an ecosystem of over 2,000 mobile-only virtual worlds. By dropping the "Horizon" moniker a brand heavily associated with its VR headsets Meta aims to position Worlds as a direct competitor to mobile-native giants like Roblox and Fortnite.

Quest VR: Steady Growth Amidst a Shifting Focus

While the mobile expansion is the primary driver, Meta clarified that the Quest VR platform remains a vital part of its ecosystem. Despite slower-than-expected growth, the VR segment continues to trend upward:

  • Monetization: In-app purchase (IAP) revenue grew by 13% in 2025.

  • Subscriptions: The Meta Horizon+ service (formerly Quest+) has surpassed 1 million active subscribers, proving the success of its "Game Pass-style" model for VR.

Empowering the Third-Party Ecosystem

Looking ahead, Meta is doubling down on third-party content. The company is actively encouraging developers to build casual VR games designed for hand-tracking, allowing users to jump into experiences without the need for controllers. This move is intended to make VR more accessible and less intimidating for casual players.

Recent information indicates that Meta is clearly "decoupling" the Meta Horizon OS operating system (for VR headsets) and the Worlds platform (for social interaction) to allow Worlds to grow independently on iOS and Android without being limited by VR hardware.

To support over 2,000 virtual worlds on mobile, Meta has launched a new engine called Meta Horizon Studio, which enables creators to build games that load quickly and are battery-efficient on smartphones while maintaining beautiful 3D visuals.

Meta's focus on "hand-tracking" games addresses the biggest weakness of VR: the difficulty of wearing and holding the device. Making VR as accessible as scrolling on a mobile phone is a top priority for 2026.

Analysts view this rebranding as an attempt to reach Gen Alpha and Gen Z, who spend most of their time on mobile devices. Meta hopes to leverage the billion-plus user base from Facebook and Instagram as a funnel to easily access Worlds without forcing them to buy expensive VR headsets. 

 

Messenger Set to Sunset in April 2026 as Meta Centralizes Web Chat.

 

Source: Meta

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