For years, the metaverse was pitched as the future of the internet—a persistent, immersive digital world where people could work, play and socialize. When Meta (formerly Facebook) rebranded itself in 2021, it signaled a bold bet: virtual reality would define the next era of computing. Fast forward to 2026 and that vision is increasingly looking like a costly miscalculation. The latest development—Meta shutting down the VR version of its flagship platform Horizon Worlds—marks yet another step in the slow retreat of its metaverse ambitions....