Meta Layoffs 2026: Mark Zuckerberg’s Company Fires Over 1,000 Employees From Reality Labs Division; Affected Share Experience on LinkedIn

Mumbai, January 14: 2026 begins with tech layoffs initiated by Mark Zuckerberg's Meta. As per the information available, Meta Platforms has initiated a fresh round of job cuts targeting its Reality Labs division, resulting in the termination of more than 1,000 employees. The Meta layoffs, which began on Tuesday morning, primarily impact teams dedicated to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and metaverse-related projects. Affected staff members have quickly taken to LinkedIn, flooding the professional network with "Open to Work" posts as they seek new opportunities in a shifting tech landscape.

The restructuring follows an internal announcement by Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Bosworth, confirming that approximately 10% of the Reality Labs workforce is being let go. This division, which employs nearly 15,000 people, has faced significant financial pressure, reporting a loss of 4.4 billion USD in the most recent October quarter. The current cuts signal a strategic pivot by Meta, moving resources away from long-term metaverse bets and reallocating them toward artificial intelligence (AI) and wearable technology. Tech Layoffs in 2025 Not Driven by AI, Economic Pressures and Restructuring Are Primary Causes: Oxford Economics.

Meta Layoffs 2026: Company Shuts Down Multiple VR Studios

As part of this consolidation, Meta is permanently closing three of its prominent in-house gaming and content studios: Armature, Sanzaru, and Twisted Pixel. These studios were instrumental in developing titles for the Meta Quest platform, but their closure indicates a narrowing of Meta’s content ambitions. While the company will continue to operate five other studios, including Camouflaj and BigBox, the shutdown of these three entities has sent ripples through the XR (Extended Reality) developer community.

The impact of these closures was immediately visible on social media, where veteran developers and designers shared their sudden exits. Mitchio Porter, a game designer at Armature for six years, described the situation as an "unfortunate termination" while announcing a search for new roles in Austin. Similarly, senior character artist Kat Webster and 25-year industry veteran Frank Ward confirmed that their decade-long tenures at the studios had come to an abrupt end due to the shutdown.

LinkedIn Flooded With Open to Work Posts After Meta Layoffs 2026

The layoffs have affected a diverse range of staff, regardless of their experience level or tenure at the company. Jake Steinerman, a developer advocate at Meta Reality Labs, described his departure from what he called his "dream job," while Technical Lead Jack Chen also confirmed his exit from Oculus VR. Many of these professionals are now seeking leadership and community-focused roles in XR and AI, with their LinkedIn posts highlighting a mix of pride in their past work and uncertainty about the industry's direction. Microsoft Layoffs Happening in 2026? Satya Nadella-Led Tech Giant Likely Laying Off More People in January Amid AI Growth, Restructuring, Says Report.

Meta has defended the move as a necessary step to align with its 2026 product roadmap. A company spokesperson stated that the savings from these cuts would be reinvested into the growth of AI-powered wearables and smarter mobile features. As Reality Labs continues to be a loss-making unit despite generating 470 million USD in quarterly revenue, the company is opting for a more streamlined approach to hardware development to satisfy investor demands for increased efficiency.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 14, 2026 11:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).