Meta Platforms to Shut Down Augmented Reality Studio

(Reuters) – Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) will close its augmented reality studio, used by third-party creators for making custom Instagram and Facebook effects, as the company focuses on other areas like AI.

The feature, Meta Spark, will be discontinued on January 14, with all third-party AR effects such as filters, masks, and 3D objects created in the studio being removed.

However, Meta confirmed that its own AR effects will still be available on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.

The company is channeling resources into investments in AI products and the metaverse, a virtual environment it believes is the future of the internet.

In a blog post, Meta stated, “With the decision to shut down the Meta Spark platform, we’re also shifting resources to the next generation of experiences, across new form factors like glasses.”

Following this news, many third-party creators expressed disappointment and began searching for alternatives within the Meta Spark community group on Facebook. One user questioned, “I wonder how many people will migrate to Snapchat Lens Studio or Unity now that Meta Spark is being sunset?”

Smaller competitor Snap provides Lens Studio, a free AR creation platform for developers to build custom AR effects.

In May, Meta announced it would stop its work-focused Workplace app by June 2026 for customers, though it will still use it internally for messaging.

Additionally, existing reels or stories utilizing third-party AR effects will remain accessible to users, but effects and files from Meta Spark studio and Hub will no longer be obtainable.