Meta mercifully spun out VR fitness game Supernatural instead of just killing it
Key takeaways
- Meta s attempt to pioneer a metaverse and make VR cool totally flopped, except for one shining diamond in the rough: Supernatural, a VR fitness game that made working out feel fun and accessible.
- Meta went through the hassle of fighting an eight-month antitrust battle so that it could acquire Within, the game studio that made Supernatural, in 2023.
- But Meta had a rare moment of mercy and listened to the Supernatural users who protested the app s sad fate.
Meta s attempt to pioneer a metaverse and make VR cool totally flopped, except for one shining diamond in the rough: Supernatural, a VR fitness game that made working out feel fun and accessible. Now, users can rejoice that Supernatural isn t shutting down after all.
Meta went through the hassle of fighting an eight-month antitrust battle so that it could acquire Within, the game studio that made Supernatural, in 2023. The deal was reportedly worth around $400 million, plus however much it costs to fight and win an FTC lawsuit. Yet after all that effort, Meta laid off much of its VR team and announced that it would stop adding new content just a few years later.
But Meta had a rare moment of mercy and listened to the Supernatural users who protested the app s sad fate. About five months later, Meta is now letting the Supernatural team spin off into a new independent company called Supernatural Health, which will take over the app later this year.