Meta pivots to AI-generated games on Facebook and Instagram

The company is launching two new tools: Horizon Create, a mobile application for quick building, and Horizon Studio, a browser-based suite for more precise control. Meta intends to bypass the friction of standalone app downloads by making these games natively playable within social feeds. A user scrolling through Instagram could theoretically enter a multiplayer session within seconds of tapping a clip.

Success for creators will depend on engagement metrics, as Meta plans to prioritize games that prove stable and culturally relevant. This strategy mirrors the recent moves of Roblox, which has also integrated AI-powered generation tools to lower the barrier for game development. This shift underscores Meta's broader pivot away from an exclusive focus on virtual reality toward a mobile-first philosophy, leveraging its massive social ecosystem to solve the discovery and retention problems that have long hampered the Horizon project.