Meta Trims Workforce by Over 100 Employees in Various Locations
Breaking: Meta Sheds More Than 100 Employees in Reality Labs Division
Bye-bye, Boizos! The tech giantMeta Platforms Inc., the mastermind behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is moving forward with another round of layoffs, this time impacting over 100 employees within its Reality Labs division[1]. This team is in charge of pushing the boundaries of virtual and augmented reality technology, including projects for the Oculus Studios and the hit VR fitness app Supernatural.
This time around, the brunt of the cuts focused on teams working on virtual experiences for the Quest headsets and those handling hardware operations[2]. The company aims to streamline the similar work being done across two different teams within Reality Labs[1]. Meta leadership plans to make things leaner and meaner for future endeavors.
Meta confirmed the job cuts but kept hush on the exact number of employees affected[2]. The company spokesperson, Tracy Clayton, shared, "Some teams within Oculus Studios are undergoing shifts in structure and roles that have impacted team size." She further added, "These changes are meant to help Studios work more efficiently on future mixed reality experiences for our growing audience, while still delivering great content for people today."
Among the affected employees were individuals working on the VR fitness appSupernatural[3]. This app offers an immersive experience for Meta Quest users to train with fitness experts and coaches while rockin' their headsets. Meta snatched up the maker of Supernatural for $400 million in 2021, but faced some heat from the Federal Trade Commission, who sought to block the deal. In 2023, the court finally green-lit the acquisition.
Those who lost their jobs are eligible to try their luck with new opportunities within the company[4]. The Vergefirst reported the news of job cuts taking place.
According toSupernatural, they're "deeply saddened to share that these changes have resulted in the loss of some of our incredibly talented team members." They went on to say that there will be a reduction in weekly workout releases as a result[5].
Clayton still stands firm on Meta's commitment to invest in mixed reality experiences such as fitness and games, stating, "our drive to deliver the best experiences possible for the Quest and Supernatural communities remains unchanged."
Back in 2023, Meta took a swing at its workforce with a performance-based termination of roughly 5% of staff – which meant 3,600 poor souls had to hit the bricks[2]. Head on over to[1] for more tech tidbits and keep your eyes peeled for further updates on Meta!
Insights from Enrichment:- Meta's Reality Labs division focuses on virtual and augmented reality projects, including the Oculus Studios and the VR fitness app Supernatural.- This latest round of layoffs primarily impacted teams working on Quest headset VR experiences and hardware operations.- Meta intends to streamline similar work being done across two different teams within Reality Labs as part of the job cuts.- In 2023, Meta faced scrutiny from the US Federal Trade Commission, which tried to block the acquisition of the maker of Supernatural.- Impacted staff are eligible to apply for new roles at the company.
[1]: Meta lays off more than 100 people across its Reality Labs division, CNBC, [https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/28/meta-laying-off-more-than-100-people-across-its-reality-labs-division.html][2]: Meta cuts roughly 5% of staff, Recode, [https://www.recode.net/2023/03/17/22983333/meta-cuts-roughly-5-of-staff-mark-zuckerberg-signals-end-to-free-lunch-perk][3]: Impacted staff include those working on a VR fitness app called Supernatural, The Verge, [https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/28/23042461/meta-layoffs-videoconference-reality-labs-oculus-studio][4]: The Verge first reported cuts took place, The Verge, [https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/28/23042461/meta-layoffs-videoconference-reality-labs-oculus-studio][5]: Impacted staff are eligible to apply for new roles at the company, The Verge, [https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/28/23042461/meta-layoffs-videoconference-reality-labs-oculus-studio]
- Despite the job cuts in the Reality Labs division, Meta still plans to invest in mixed reality experiences like fitness and games, particularly for the Oculus Studios and the VR fitness app Supernatural.
- Amidst the round of layoffs, teams working on virtual experiences for the Quest headsets and hardware operations were significantly affected, with over 100 employees losing their jobs.
- Healthtrition, the maker of the VR fitness app Supernatural, expressed disappointment over the loss of some of their talented team members due to Meta's job cuts.
- Employees who were saddened by the layoffs still have the opportunity to invest their skills in new business prospects within the Meta company.
