“Meta Developer Advocate Affirms Commitment to VR Despite Recent Layoffs”
Last week, Meta made significant cuts to its mixed reality team, disbanding its top three VR game development studios, known for titles like Asgard’s Wrath, Deadpool VR, and The Walking Dead 4 VR. This wave of layoffs extended to many employees within Reality Labs, raising concerns about the future support for Meta’s VR headsets in light of the Metaverse’s struggles.
In the midst of this upheaval, official updates from Meta regarding its VR direction have been sparse. However, one employee took to Twitter (X) to share some insights that may shed light on the future of software development for the Quest 3.
In response to a VR content creator who noted the lack of communication from Meta, Dilmer Valecillos, a Developer Advocate, stated, “I can tell you personally that we are not getting out of VR. I’ve been assigned to a team that is fully focused on VR programs and education.”
When pressed for more details, he added, “I can’t speak to broader strategy, but my role and team are fully focused on VR. I genuinely love VR and wouldn’t be doing this work if I didn’t believe in its future.”
The playful emojis in his messages leave room for interpretation. Is Valecillos hinting at something significant, or is he merely representing a small segment of the Reality Labs team that may not impact the broader VR gaming scene? He himself acknowledged that he can’t comment on the company’s overall strategy.
When asked if his team’s ongoing work includes games, he simply replied, “Games and apps,” again with a wink.
It’s important to consider that the “education” projects he mentioned might fall under the category of “gamified” experiences, a trend gaining traction in VR, especially among companies like HTC that focus on enterprise applications rather than consumer gaming.
While these Twitter exchanges are intriguing, it’s wise to approach them with caution and not interpret them as official announcements. Given the scale of layoffs and the closure of major game studios, it seems likely that support for gamers on the Meta Quest store may diminish.
As 2026 unfolds, it appears that Meta is shifting its focus toward AI. Reports suggest that their collaboration with Ray-Ban on smart glasses has been successful, potentially becoming the new priority for the remaining Reality Labs team.
Meta’s recent actions could create an opportunity for Valve with its upcoming Steam Frame. The Quest 3 and 3S are currently among Valve’s main competitors, making this year crucial for market dynamics. Additionally, Samsung may benefit from Meta’s retreat from VR, as its Galaxy XR headset has recently launched and competes with both the Apple Vision Pro and Meta’s Quest devices.
