Horizon Worlds, Meta's metaverse project, is struggling due to leadership's misunderstanding of the platform, reliance on 2D app developers, and ineffective monetization strategies. Former Meta developers highlight issues like mandatory “dogfooding” leading to automation, lack of VR experience within the team, and an inability to innovate, resulting in a poor user experience. With only about 300,000 users, compared to Second Life's 500,000, Horizon Worlds is at risk of being labeled a failure. A possible solution to revitalize it involves transitioning to an open-source model, allowing developers to innovate freely and regain user interest.
https://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2025/03/horizon-worlds-meta-why-failed.html