Meta is launching a new initiative to drive engagement on its Horizon social platform by introducing AI-generated video games. The company announced two development tools designed to let users create games using AI prompts, moving away from complex coding requirements.
Horizon Create and Horizon Studio
The development suite includes Horizon Create, a dedicated mobile app, and Horizon Studio, a browser-based application offering more granular controls. Both tools enable creators to transform ideas into complete 2D or 3D mobile games. Meta claims these titles can feature progression systems, balanced difficulty, art direction, and multiplayer capabilities, allowing users to refine every element to their standards.
Social Feed Integration
To solve Horizon's reach issues, Meta plans to recommend these user-generated games directly on Facebook and Instagram. Crucially, the games will be playable natively within the social feeds. "Someone scrolling through Instagram can tap a clip of your game and be in a multiplayer session within seconds, without needing to download an app," the company stated. Games that demonstrate high engagement and stability will be prioritized for wider distribution.
Market Context and Mobile Pivot
This announcement aligns Meta with competitors like Roblox, which is also integrating AI-powered development into its mobile experience. While Roblox boasts 123 million daily active users, Horizon has historically struggled, with reports from early 2022 indicating roughly 300,000 monthly users. The move reflects Meta's recent pivot to prioritize mobile access for its metaverse ambitions over its original VR-only approach.
