Meta Set To Remove Horizon Worlds From Quest VR Headsets And Release A Mobile-Only Experience This Year
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Meta is discontinuing Horizon Worlds on its Quest Virtual Reality (VR) headsets. For the unversed, Horizon Worlds is the tech giant’s VR platform, where users can create avatars, socialise, play games, attend events, and build their own interactive environments, all within the VR. The platform was launched as a key part of the metaverse vision.
Meta says that the Horizon Worlds platform is set to become a mobile-only experience by mid-2026, as the company separates its VR and social platforms to allow each to develop independently.
The changes will be rolled out in phases throughout 2026, and the Horizon Worlds app will be fully removed from Quest by June 15, 2026.
Horizon Worlds will be removed from the Quest Store
From 31 March, Horizon Worlds and Events will no longer appear in the Quest Store, and several virtual environments, including Horizon Central, Events Arena, Kaiju, and Bobber Bay, will be taken offline in VR. Users will retain access to other Horizon worlds in VR until June 15, 2026, after which the app will be removed entirely from the headset. Following that date, users will be directed to the Meta Horizon mobile app to access mobile-optimised worlds.
Hyperscape Capture, which is currently in beta, is also being moved out of Horizon Worlds from March 24, 2026. Existing captures will remain viewable within the standalone Hyperscape Capture app and its companion Preview app, both accessible via the Quest app library. New captures can still be created, though social features such as sharing and co-experiencing will no longer be supported.
Meta Horizon Plus subscribers will also see changes
Meta Horizon Plus subscribers will also see changes in the platform starting March 31, 2026. The Horizon-specific perks, including Meta Credits, Digital Clothing, Avatars, and In-World Purchases, will be removed from the subscription. However, core gaming benefits and monthly game allocations will remain unaffected.
Meta said it continues to invest in the broader Quest experience, citing recent additions including a Surface Keyboard and Touchpad, customisable app and window positioning, and the ongoing rollout of Navigator, its updated interface.
Apart from this, Meta recently announced its new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools on Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp to protect users against online scams like impersonation, deceptive links, suspicious friend requests, and more.