Meta Platforms(US:META) 3 6 Ke·2025-12-05 02:05Core Insights - Meta plans to significantly cut its metaverse department budget by up to 30%, with potential layoffs as early as January next year [1][4] - The metaverse initiative, which was central to Meta's rebranding from Facebook, has faced skepticism from investors due to its substantial financial losses [4][5] - The Reality Labs division, which encompasses the metaverse projects, has incurred over $70 billion in losses since early 2021, raising concerns about its sustainability [4] Budget Cuts and Layoffs - Meta executives have discussed the possibility of a 30% budget reduction for the metaverse department, which includes products like Meta Horizon Worlds and Quest VR [1] - As part of the 2026 budget planning, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has requested a general project budget cut of about 10% across the board [1] - The majority of the cuts are expected to impact the virtual reality team, which constitutes a significant portion of the metaverse-related expenditures [1] Investor Sentiment and Market Reaction - Following the news of budget cuts, Meta's stock price rose nearly 4% in early trading [2] - Investors have long viewed the metaverse project as a "resource black hole," questioning its viability and return on investment [4] Regulatory Concerns - Regulatory bodies have criticized the metaverse for compromising children's privacy and safety [5] - There has been a noticeable shift in Zuckerberg's public focus away from the metaverse towards AI development and related hardware products [5] Future Outlook - Analysts predict that Meta may shut down its metaverse projects, such as Horizon Worlds, by the end of the year to concentrate on AI initiatives [5] - The ongoing losses in the Reality Labs division have led to calls for a reevaluation of the company's investment strategy in this area [5]