US EditionThe Metaverse Isn’t Dead. It’s Turning Into A Customer Data Powerhouse
- On Jan 20, 2026 Meta announced cuts to its Reality Labs division, trimming about 10% of 15,000 staff and laying off 331 workers in the Puget Sound region.
- Facing heavy losses, Reality Labs lost almost $13.2 billion in the first nine months of 2025, and Meta said it is shifting resources toward wearables and smartglasses; Tracy Clayton said savings will support growth this year.
- State filings detail 331 layoffs including 105 in Redmond office, 89 in Bellevue Spring District office, 40 in Seattle Dexter Avenue North office and 97 remote Washington workers.
- Brands and retailers note immersive environments track gaze, gesture, and movement in real time, while startups and venture capital report rising pitches to license spatial data sets.
- Once spatial capture moves to smartglasses and wearables, data collection will intensify rapidly, enabling AI agents to tailor products in near real time, while Roblox creates space for new entrants as Meta steps back.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Meta to lay off 331 Seattle-area workers
Meta Platforms announced it is laying off 331 employees from various offices across the greater Seattle area on Monday, as the company works towards its company-wide plan of downsizing 10% of its workforce. Meta will lay off employees in two Seattle offices, along with employees in its Bellevue and Redmond locations, and nearly 100 remote employees, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification. RELATED STORIESSeattle's Crocodile …
Tech layoffs drive Seattle-area unemployment above 5%
The first major tech layoff of 2026 hit Seattle-area workers at Meta this week. About 330 roles at the social networking giant were eliminated, according to a filing with the Washington Employment Security Department. It’s the latest in a series of tech layoffs, and more cuts are expected across the industry in the coming weeks.
Oculus founder says Meta abandoning VR is 'obviously false,' but Meta's own actions scream the opposite about Quest's future
With Meta laying off a large portion of its VR department in favor of smart glasses, Oculus founder Palmer Luckey believes "this isn't a disaster," but upcoming Quest headsets aren't looking bright.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 63% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
