Meta, a pioneering augmented reality company, recently announced that it will be officially discontinuing its Echo VR virtual reality (VR) app and game platform in 2021. This news comes as a surprise to many gamers, as Echo VR was one of the first VR gaming experiences available. So, why is Meta shutting down Echo VR?
To understand the reasoning behind Meta’s decision, it’s important to look at the bigger picture of the virtual reality gaming space. In recent years, the industry has seen rapid growth in the development of more advanced technologies and higher-end hardware. This proliferation of better machines has resulted in the market for consumer-grade hardware becoming saturated, and Meta was unable to compete with the more advanced virtual reality offerings from companies like Oculus and HTC.
Additionally, the growth of cloud-based gaming platforms has been quite noticeable, making it much easier for gamers to find VR games and experiences. With companies like Google Stadia, Microsoft Xbox Cloud, and Amazon Luna offering a wider array of games, it’s no surprise that Meta had to shut down Echo VR to make way for more advanced offerings.
However, Echo VR was not the only service that faced the chopping block; Meta had to shut down multiple other services, including the Meta 2 virtual reality headset. Indeed, reducing overhead in this manner was essential for the company to stay afloat, as their efforts to build an augmented reality headset system had failed to find wider acceptance among consumers.
Ultimately, Meta’s decision to shut down Echo VR was likely a necessary one in order to stay competitive and viable in the virtual reality gaming space. Although this may be disappointing news to fans of Echo VR, it is clear that Meta is doing what is necessary to keep up with the ever-evolving industry of virtual reality.