Meta’s Layoffs Signal Tough Times for Supernatural Fitness Users

New Mexico: Tencia Benavidez uses Supernatural, a VR fitness app. She started working out in VR during the Covid pandemic. Even after five years, she loves how Supernatural helps her stay fit in her rural area. Winter can make it hard to exercise outside, so she appreciates the community and supportive coaches.

“They are very authentic and don’t talk down to you,” Benavidez says. She wants to continue supporting Supernatural. Meta bought Supernatural in 2022, which raised some concerns. There was a legal battle where the US Federal Trade Commission tried to stop Meta’s purchase because of worries about competition. Still, Meta won the case.

Benavidez feels frustrated, asking, “Meta fought the government to buy this thing. What was the point?”

On Tuesday, Bloomberg shared that Meta laid off more than 1,000 workers in the VR and metaverse parts of the company. This comes after Meta lost billions on these projects. Most of Supernatural’s staff was laid off, and three VR studios that made popular games were closed.

“If they wanted to save money, they could have increased prices. People would pay for it,” said Goff Johnson, a Supernatural user. Many users are unsure about continuing their subscriptions. Supernatural has more than 3,000 workouts, but new content won’t be added. Some worry how the app will keep using music from famous artists.

Supernatural fan Chip said he is leaving but acknowledges that while the library is large, it’s not worth the price anymore. There are other VR workout apps like FitXR or Beat Saber, but many users feel Supernatural stands out.

“I’ll stick around until they shut it down,” said Stefanie Wong, a Bay Area accountant. She’s used Supernatural since the pandemic began and loves the community and coaches.

I tried the Together feature on Wednesday after the layoffs. I met users Chip and Alisa during a workout where we punched blocks while listening to Imagine Dragons songs. Supernatural coach Dwana Olsen motivated us with encouraging words.

“Use these movements to remind you of how much awesome life you have yet to live,” Olsen said. It was a great workout that felt both exciting and sad. We high-fived after finishing our session and enjoyed another round, sharing the moment together.