[Meta's Major Metaverse Strategy Retrenchment: Zuckerberg Plans to Cut Budget by 30% as Industry Frenzy Remains Elusive] Jin10 News, December 4 – Meta Platforms (META.O) CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to significantly reduce resource investment in building the metaverse, a strategy he once defined as the company's future and which prompted Facebook's rebranding. According to informed sources, management has discussed cutting next year's budget for the metaverse division by as much as 30%. This division includes the virtual world product Meta Horizon Worlds and its Quest virtual reality business. If such a significant reduction is implemented, layoffs could begin as early as January next year, though no final decision has been made. Sources indicate that the proposed metaverse budget cuts are part of the company's 2026 fiscal planning. They added that Zuckerberg has asked Meta executives to seek an overall 10% budget reduction, a standard request in similar budget cycles over the past few years. Insiders noted that since Meta has not observed the industry-wide competitive fervor it once anticipated for metaverse technology, the metaverse division has been asked to make deeper cuts this year.