Meta’s Acquisition of 9 Leading VR Studios Since 2019: Recent Developments

Between 2019 and 2022, Meta basically went on a bender, snagging a bunch of VR studios to boost their game collection. We’re talking nine studios altogether. Let’s dive into this whirlwind, shall we? Everything from wins to some flat-out nosedives.

So, Meta buys these studios, and suddenly they’ve got the whole shebang—resources galore, new connections, the whole big-name IP circus. Great, right? But there’s a catch: they’re tied to the games that originally got them noticed. Bit of a mixed bag.

Nine studios bought, each with its own little drama post-acquisition. Some shined, others… well, not so much.

Beat Games – Beat Saber Magic, Acquired 2019

Meta grabbing Beat Games was all about keeping the Beat Saber party going with fresh features. They promised the studio would stay kinda independent too.

Since then? Loads of updates, DLC music packs from big-name artists, and hey, multiplayer’s now in the mix. But… stuff like custom sabers and a mixed reality mode? Still MIA. No clue why. It’s like waiting for a bus that never comes.

Core gameplay? Still same ol’, same ol’. Maybe people thought they’d cook up something new? Six years on, no dice. In June 2025, Meta said bye-bye to updates for PSVR/2, plus multiplayer’s getting the ax in 2026. Rumor is, they’re cooking up "the next big leap" for Beat Saber. Until then, expect more of the tried-and-true formula: pop tracks, DLCs and all that jazz.

Founders? Gone. It’s all Meta’s game now.

Post-acquisition Vibe: B–

Sanzaru Games – Asgard’s Wrath Wizards, Acquired 2020

When Meta acquired Sanzaru, the buzz was they’d keep cranking out epic VR titles. Asgard’s Wrath (2019) set the bar, being this massive RPG exclusive to Rift.

In 2023, they dropped Asgard’s Wrath 2, squeezing epicness into Quest 2 and Quest 3. Impressive feat, I gotta say. It’s seen as the visual guidepost for Quest; fans loved it, scoring a [4.2/5]. But man, that took a while—nearly four years since the acquisition.

By January 2025? Updates were done. They’re supposedly onto something big but who knows what that’ll be.

Post-acquisition Vibe: B+

Ready at Dawn – Echoing Loneliness, Acquired 2020, Closed 2024

Remember Lone Echo, the space epic from 2017? That’s Ready at Dawn’s baby. Zero-G floating everywhere. Echo VR was its multiplayer sibling.

Lone Echo II dropped in 2021 after much delay, but Echo VR moving to Quest? Dreamed, never realized. Then 2024 rolled in, and Meta pulled the plug on the whole studio. Bit of a downer.

Post-acquisition Vibe: F+ (A for effort?)

Downpour Interactive – Onward March, Acquired 2021, Closed 2025

Onward—a staple for VR mil-simmers since 2016. When Meta boarded the Downpour train in 2021, the aim was to bolster this multiplayer beast.

Launch on Quest was rocky, but improvements came, growing a loyal fanbase. Despite 18,000 user reviews and a [4.2/5] rating, 2023 brought lay-offs hitting them and Ready at Dawn hard. Founder Dante Buckley left just before the chaos.

By June 2025, Downpour joined the closure list post-Onward’s 2.0 update. A few staff shuffled to Camouflaj. Onward’s servers still live but barely kicking.

Post-acquisition Vibe: D+

And hey, there’s a whole other page of this saga—but we’ll save that drama for later.