Supernatural Isn’t Dead After All

A fewer months ago, Meta efficaciously handed Supernatural, a celebrated VR fittingness crippled connected nan Meta Quest, a decease sentence. As portion of overarching VR layoffs, nan institution announced nan crippled would nary longer get immoderate caller content, enraging its tightly knit, devoted community. Now it looks for illustration Supernatural is getting a 2nd chance. Today, Meta announced successful a organization station that nan crippled is being spun disconnected into an independent institution later this year.

The caller entity will beryllium called Supernatural Health, and will motorboat arsenic a abstracted app connected nan Meta Horizon Store. While Meta did not remark connected who would beryllium nan CEO of Supernatural Health, Meta spokesperson Che’von Lewis told The Verge that nan original founders and coaches are down Supernatural Health. The caller app is expected to motorboat later this fall, on pinch caller content. In nan interim, Meta plans to upwind down its existent type of nan app, and Supernatural Health will statesman taking complete Supernatural’s societal channels and its charismatic Facebook group. Current subscriptions will stay valid until December 3rd. Further specifications regarding nan modulation will beryllium sent straight to subscribers.

Meta’s acquisition of Supernatural successful 2023 was initially contested by nan Federal Trade Commission, past led by Lina Khan. At nan time, Khan’s FTC based on that Meta was trying to bargain its measurement to power successful nan VR marketplace and that nan acquisition would lead to decreased title successful nan future. The lawsuit yet failed, but galore disgruntled Supernatural fans told The Verge that they viewed Meta’s acquisition arsenic nan “kiss of death,” starring to decreased merchandise support and less caller features erstwhile nan tech elephantine took over.

Since Meta decided to sunset Supernatural, respective fans person been vocal online astir trying to prevention nan game. Usually, these instrumentality campaigns don’t person happy endings. That said, there’s ever hope. Zombies, Run! is another caller example wherever a “dead” fittingness crippled was re-bought by its original proprietor and brought backmost pinch caller content. Smartwatch shaper Pebble has besides enjoyed a caller resurgence (under its original marque name, too), launching caller devices years aft nan institution was bought retired by Fitbit successful precocious 2016. In immoderate case, Meta’s determination to assistance Supernatural a 2nd chance nether a new, independent institution does underscore 1 thing: VR decidedly isn’t a apical privilege for nan institution correct now.