Meta, formerly Facebook, is expected to issue another round of mass layoffs on Wednesday, according to a report from Vox which cites “various sources who work at the company.”
The layoffs are part of a broader shakeup at Meta that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has dubbed the “year of efficiency.” In March, Zuckerberg said the company would reduce 10,000 jobs in the coming months, particularly those related to “low priority projects”. This is on top of the 11,000 jobs which were cut in November.
Layoffs this week could be in the range of 4,000 jobs, a source told Vox. TechCrunch couldn’t confirm the news, but it’s not unexpected. Zuckerberg had previously said that the April cuts would affect roles in technology departments, while another round of layoffs planned for May would affect the business side.
Some have speculated that many projects and teams within the Facebook app and Reality Labs, the unit dedicated to augmented and virtual reality experiences, will see the hatchet soon. Those working in game development might rest assured for now though, as Meta works to market its metaverse bet to traditional gamers, according to a report. Business Insider report.
That could be a strategic pivot for Meta and Zuckerberg, both of whom have promoted the metaverse as a place for social interactions, work and e-commerce. Meta invested billions in its Horizon Worlds virtual reality social platform. Horizon Worlds hasn’t really taken off though, with only a few 200,000 monthly active users at the end of last year.