Meta Downsize Employees in Reality Labs Division: Details

According to the reports, the tech giant Meta has laid off employees in its Reality Labs division, primarily from Oculus Studios and hardware development teams.

According to the report, one of the impacted projects is Supernatural, a VR fitness game acquired by Meta for more than $400 million. The company stated that the move is intended to increase efficiency while remaining committed to content development for Quest and Supernatural.

While the exact number of layoffs is unknown, these latest layoffs follow a larger round of job cuts in February, when Meta reduced its workforce by nearly 3,600 positions, or about 5% of its global headcount, citing performance concerns. The downsizing is consistent with CEO Mark Zuckerberg's push to create a leaner, more agile organization.

The February layoffs sparked backlash on social media, with many accusing the company of putting executive pay ahead of regular employees' livelihoods.

Beyond public criticism, several former Meta employees claimed that the layoffs were not solely based on performance. Some claimed they were let go while on approved leave or for reasons unrelated to job performance.

As one of the world's leading social media platforms, Meta derives the majority of its revenue from advertising. That revenue stream supports the company's multibillion-dollar investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure as it competes for leadership in the rapidly changing landscape of generative AI technology.

Meanwhile, Meta announced plans to launch its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in India soon, as stated in a blog post, indicating the company's continued focus on wearable technology and immersive experiences.