Meta Reportedly Shutting Down Ready At Dawn, Creators of Iconic VR Games

It looks like Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Oculus Rift, might be closing down Ready At Dawn Studios, the team behind the acclaimed VR titles Echo VR and Lone Echo. This move is reportedly part of broader cutbacks within Meta's Reality Labs division.

According to a report by Android Central, which cites internal memos from Reality Labs, the closure is aimed at keeping the division within its new budgetary constraints. The goal is to ensure that Oculus Studios can make a "better long-term impact" in VR development. This follows earlier news that Meta plans to reduce Reality Labs' budget by 20% by 2026.

Despite these cuts, a Meta spokesperson told the site that the reductions don't signal a decrease in the number of first-party games for Quest VR headsets. In fact, Meta remains committed to VR development, and the recent sales of the Quest 3 are reportedly "exceeding expectations," according to the company's latest earnings call.

While Meta has yet to make an official comment, former Ready At Dawn developers have been sharing their reactions and memories on social media. Sol Brennan, a character technical artist, expressed gratitude for the opportunity Ready At Dawn gave him to move to the U.S. and build his career. His post reflects the impact the studio had on its employees and the gaming community.

Ready At Dawn was acquired by Meta in June 2020 to bolster its Oculus operations. The studio is celebrated for its work on Lone Echo, one of the standout VR games. Beyond VR, they also made a name for themselves by porting Sony's God of War and Jak & Daxter series to PlayStation handhelds. Their original title, The Order: 1886, might not have been universally praised, but its stunning art direction and graphics left a lasting impression on many, earning it a cult following.

As the future of Ready At Dawn remains uncertain, we wish the best of luck to all the talented developers who may now be seeking new opportunities.