Meta’s metaverse is going mobile-first

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Meta is formally sectioning off Horizon Worlds, the closest thing it has to a metaverse, from its Quest VR platform, according to a new blog post from Samantha Ryan, Meta's VP of Content, Reality Labs. While the decision runs counter to Meta's original plan to own an immersive virtual world that could serve as the future home for all online interaction, it fits with the recent cuts it made to its costly Reality Labs division, and Mark Zuckerberg's public commitment to focus the company on AI hardware like smart glasses going forward. 

"We’re explicitly separating our Quest VR platform from our Worlds platform in order to create more space for both products to grow," Ryan writes in the blog post. "We’re doubling down on the VR developer ecosystem while shifting the focus of Worlds to be almost exclusively mobile. By breaking things down into two distinct platforms, we’ll be better able to clearly focus on each."

Meta has been developing mobile and web versions of Horizon Worlds in parallel with its VR app since at least 2023. Switching Worlds to being a mobile-first software platform isn't good for VR diehards, but it does make it a more natural competitor to something like Roblox or Fortnite, which also offer user-created and monetizable worlds and games. It's also a business Meta believes it can more easily scale because of its ability to connect games to "billions of people on the world’s biggest social networks."

While Meta shuttered several of its own VR game studios earlier this year, it still wants to support third-party developers publishing games on its platform. The company says new monetization tools, better discoverability, a "Deals" tab and more ways for developers to talk to their customers should help make a difference. Maintaining the Quest's library of games could also be critical going forward. Business Insider reported in December 2025 that Meta was working on a gaming-focused Quest headset, and Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth confirmed earlier this February that the company still had multiple Quest devices on its roadmap.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/metas-metaverse-is-going-mobile-first-233030532.html?src=rss

Mexico Just Turned Corn Waste Into 3D-Printed Buildings

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Most of us think of corn as food. Maybe fuel, if you’re feeling generous. But a building material? That’s the kind of idea that sounds like it belongs in a sci-fi pitch until you look at what Mexico-based design practice MANUFACTURA has been quietly pulling off.

Their project is called CORNCRETL, and it is exactly what it sounds like: a bio-based construction material made largely from corn waste. Specifically, it combines limestone aggregates, dried corn residues, and recycled nejayote, which is the calcium-rich wastewater left over from nixtamalization, the ancient process of soaking corn in an alkaline solution that’s been used across Mesoamerica for thousands of years. That liquid, normally discarded after making tortillas and tamales, turns out to be a surprisingly useful ingredient in a next-generation building composite.

Designer: Manufactura

The name CORNCRETL is a clever mashup of corn and concrete, and the concept sits at the crossroads of ancestral knowledge and cutting-edge fabrication. MANUFACTURA drew direct references from pre-Hispanic Mayan construction techniques, which relied heavily on lime-based materials long before Portland cement ever existed. What they’ve done is take that legacy and run it through a robotic arm.

To produce the material, nixtamal waste is collected, dried, shredded, and pulverized down to a consistent particle size that works for extrusion. It’s then blended with mineral aggregates and organic binders to create a printable mixture. Printability tests were conducted using a WASP Concrete HD Continuous Feeding System integrated with a KUKA robotic arm, meaning the building process is precise, automated, and repeatable. The result doesn’t just look like a structural material. It performs like one.

One of the biggest knocks against conventional concrete is its carbon footprint. Cement production alone is responsible for a significant chunk of global CO2 emissions. CORNCRETL addresses this head-on. Compared to standard concrete, the material achieves up to a 70 percent reduction in carbon emissions. Part of that comes from how lime-based systems work: unlike Portland cement, they harden at room temperature and require lower calcination temperatures during production, which means less energy and fewer greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.

Lime also brings a few bonus features to the table. It naturally regulates humidity and has self-healing properties for minor surface cracks, meaning the material can repair small imperfections on its own over time. For a building material, that’s a pretty remarkable quality.

The motivation behind CORNCRETL goes beyond just making something cool out of kitchen scraps. Mexico’s construction sector carries real environmental and social weight. Across the country, 64 percent of all waste is organic, and corn is a major contributor to that figure. At the same time, construction labor conditions remain difficult, with limited access to technical training and high occupational risk. MANUFACTURA’s approach proposes a circular material strategy that tries to address both sides of that problem, reducing waste while introducing more automated, accessible fabrication methods into the building industry.

The project has already moved beyond the lab. A full-scale prototype was built at the Shamballa open-air laboratory in Northern Italy, which is a long way from Mexico City but signals exactly the kind of cross-continental interest that a material like this can generate. It’s the kind of proof-of-concept that transforms a research idea into something you can actually stand next to.

CORNCRETL is led by designer Dinorah Schulte and project director Edurne Morales, with contributions from structural engineers and 3D printing specialists who helped optimize the material for real-world application.

What makes this project stick is that it doesn’t ask you to choose between tradition and technology. It holds both at once. Ancient techniques meet robotic fabrication. Food system waste becomes architectural possibility. And corn, of all things, might just have a future in the walls around us.

The post Mexico Just Turned Corn Waste Into 3D-Printed Buildings first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Most Advanced Camping Pillow of 2026 Looks Like It Grew in a Forest

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Nature has been solving the problem of lightweight, load-bearing structure for hundreds of millions of years. Chen Xu, designing for RestBase, decided to take notes. The Camp Napper is a portable camping pillow whose form is derived from two specific biological sources: the surface texture of fungal spores, which informed the pillow’s contact face, and the hollow vascular structure of plant stems, which shaped its core. The outcome is a product that performs as well as it looks.

Using Voronoi polygon modelling, the design team mapped how pressure from a sleeping head distributes across the pillow’s surface, then engineered protrusions and recesses to respond to that data. The front face features raised cellular structures that increase the contact area between pillow and skin, improving comfort while simultaneously channelling airflow to keep things cool. The back face offers four distinct tactile zones depending on orientation, giving users a degree of customisation that is rare in camping gear. Also, a little warning but: trypophobia alert.

Designer: Chen Xu

The core replicates the hollow geometry found in plant stems, achieving a structure that sheds mass without compromising its ability to hold form under repeated compression. Total weight lands at around 400 grams, and the whole pillow compresses into its storage bag at roughly the dimensions of a water cup, making it genuinely packable rather than merely marketed as such.

Memory foam was selected for its ability to conform to different sleepers while maintaining the structural geometry of the bionic surface. Anti-slip rubber particles on the base keep the pillow in place across the varied surfaces camping tends to involve, from sleeping pads to camp chairs to hotel floors. RestBase positions the Camp Napper across indoor and outdoor contexts, and the material specification backs that up without demanding a different product for each one.

The project ran from March to December 2024 in Beijing, with the team conducting pressure simulations using volunteer data before building the mathematical model that generated the bionic surface structure. Mold development required continuous adjustment of material ratios and foaming parameters to meet yield and appearance standards. The finished product carries all of that process lightly, presenting as something organic and considered rather than laboured. For a category where most innovation stops at inflation valves and stuff sacks, that is a meaningful place to arrive.

The post The Most Advanced Camping Pillow of 2026 Looks Like It Grew in a Forest first appeared on Yanko Design.

This 1,516-Piece LEGO Maersk Vessel celebrates the future of sustainable shipping

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For decades, the LEGO Group has demonstrated an unusual ability to translate real-world engineering into tactile storytelling. From architectural landmarks to Technic supercars, its most compelling releases are often those rooted in authentic industrial design. The new LEGO 40955 Maersk Dual-Fuel Container Vessel follows that same philosophy, drawing inspiration from one of the most significant advances in modern maritime transport.

The set recreates the Ane Maersk, the world’s first large dual-fuel container ship capable of operating on methanol in addition to conventional marine fuels. Built for global shipping giant Maersk, the real vessel represents a tangible shift toward lower-emission cargo transport. LEGO’s interpretation transforms that milestone into a 1,516-piece display model designed for curious kids, maritime enthusiasts, and grown-up collectors.

Designer: LEGO Group

Once assembled, the model stretches approximately 23.5 inches long, 7 inches high, and 4.5 inches wide, giving it a commanding shelf presence. The proportions echo the streamlined profile of the original ship, from the sharply angled bow to the neatly stacked containers lining the deck. A dedicated black display stand with a nameplate reinforces its status as a presentation piece rather than a conventional playset.

Attention to detail defines the experience. The bridge section can be opened to reveal interior elements, including crew quarters and operational spaces, while transparent panels along the engine room provide a subtle look into the vessel’s mechanical core. Slide-out gangways on both sides add a functional layer, breaking up the otherwise monolithic structure of the hull. The containers themselves are individually buildable, reflecting the modular logic of real-world cargo operations.

The build process balances repetition with refinement. As with any container ship, assembling multiple cargo units introduces a rhythm to the construction, but it also reinforces the scale and realism of the finished model. Subtle printed elements and carefully placed decals capture the Maersk branding without overwhelming the clean blue-and-white color scheme associated with the company’s fleet.

This release also marks the return of a collaboration that has been absent for over a decade. LEGO and Maersk have partnered in the past on maritime-themed sets, most notably the Maersk Line Triple-E from 2014. The new dual-fuel container vessel continues that lineage while anchoring it in contemporary sustainability efforts. Instead of revisiting nostalgia alone, the set connects to a current industry shift toward alternative fuels and reduced environmental impact.

Retailing at $149.99, the model positions itself squarely within LEGO’s premium display category. It is substantial without being inaccessible, detailed without becoming overly complex. For maritime enthusiasts, LEGO collectors, or anyone drawn to large-scale engineering achievements, it offers a thoughtful blend of authenticity and approachability. More than just a scaled-down cargo ship, the Maersk Dual-Fuel Container Vessel reflects how raw industrial design can carry broader cultural relevance.

 

The post This 1,516-Piece LEGO Maersk Vessel celebrates the future of sustainable shipping first appeared on Yanko Design.

Slay the Spire 2 will enter early access on March 5

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Slay the Spire 2 will launch in early access next month. This sequel to the hugely popular 2019 roguelike deckbuilder hits early access on Steam beginning March 5, 2026. Along with releasing the teaser trailer above, developer Mega Crit shared some details about its goals for this phase ahead of the game's official release.

"Slay the Spire requires a lot of player feedback so we can balance content, add quality of life features, and make sure the game runs without issues," the developers explained. "Early Access is also a chance for us to test experimental features, try exotic designs, identify niche problems, and helps us make sure the game is headed in the right direction." Slay the Spire 2 is expected to be in early access for a year or two, or more generally "until the game feels great."

Mega Crit has also revealed that it will be introducing a new co-op mode where up to four people can team up. This gameplay option will feature some unique cards just for multiplayer as well as some team-wide synergies. 

Some of the characters from Slay the Spire will be returning for the sequel alongside new ones. For anyone who hasn't yet experienced the original game, Slay the Spire is available on iOS, including as part of Apple Arcade. It's also on consoles and PC.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/slay-the-spire-2-will-enter-early-access-on-march-5-210338514.html?src=rss

Meta Wants to Put an AI Health Tracker on Your Wrist in 2026. What Could Go Wrong??

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Meta is building a smartwatch, and it wants to know your heart rate, your sleep patterns, your activity levels, and whatever else it can pull from a sensor pressed against your skin all day. The device is codenamed Malibu 2, it’s targeting a 2026 launch, and by most accounts it sounds like a perfectly competent health wearable. The problem isn’t the hardware. The problem is the company attached to it.

This is the same Meta that just faced congressional scrutiny over social media addiction today. The same Meta whose smart glasses are reportedly inching toward facial recognition. The same Meta that filed a patent for Project Lazarus, a system designed to generate posthumous content from deceased users, because apparently your data doesn’t stop being useful to them just because you do. Handing your most intimate biometric information to that company is a case study in one.

Designer: Meta

To be fair, the product itself has a coherent logic behind it. Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses have been received surprisingly well by the press, and the neural wristband that ships with them, which uses electromyography to read muscle signals and translate them into gestures, only works with those glasses. That’s a real limitation. A smartwatch that absorbs that gesture-control functionality while adding health tracking and a persistent AI assistant would close a gap that currently makes the whole setup feel incomplete. From a pure product strategy standpoint, Malibu 2 makes sense.

The hardware ambitions have also matured since Meta’s first attempt at a smartwatch, which was scrapped in 2022 after accumulating plans for detachable cameras and metaverse tie-ins that never quite added up to a coherent device. Malibu 2 is reportedly focused on health tracking and Meta AI integration, which is a much cleaner pitch. The company already has a working partnership with Garmin, visible in the Oakley Vanguard sports glasses and a neural band demo at CES 2026 inside a Garmin-powered car concept. If there’s a natural manufacturing and platform partner for this watch, Garmin is the obvious candidate.

Meta is also reportedly developing the watch to sit alongside updated Ray-Ban Display glasses, internally called Hypernova 2, with both devices likely to be unveiled at Meta Connect in September. The Phoenix mixed reality glasses, meanwhile, have been pushed to 2027 partly because Meta’s executives were concerned about releasing too many devices at once and confusing consumers. That’s a reasonable concern. It’s also a little rich coming from a company whose current product lineup already includes smart glasses with a separate neural band that only controls one device.

The wearables market is genuinely ready for a credible third competitor alongside Apple and Samsung, and Meta has the AI infrastructure and the existing glasses ecosystem to make Malibu 2 compelling from launch. But compelling and trustworthy are different things, and Meta has spent twenty years demonstrating which one it prioritizes. Your Apple Watch data sits in Apple’s ecosystem, behind a company that has made privacy a marketing pillar and a legal battleground. Your Malibu 2 data sits with a company that patented a way to keep monetizing you after you die.

The post Meta Wants to Put an AI Health Tracker on Your Wrist in 2026. What Could Go Wrong?? first appeared on Yanko Design.

Meta Wants to Put an AI Health Tracker on Your Wrist in 2026. What Could Go Wrong??

Posted on by

Meta is building a smartwatch, and it wants to know your heart rate, your sleep patterns, your activity levels, and whatever else it can pull from a sensor pressed against your skin all day. The device is codenamed Malibu 2, it’s targeting a 2026 launch, and by most accounts it sounds like a perfectly competent health wearable. The problem isn’t the hardware. The problem is the company attached to it.

This is the same Meta that just faced congressional scrutiny over social media addiction today. The same Meta whose smart glasses are reportedly inching toward facial recognition. The same Meta that filed a patent for Project Lazarus, a system designed to generate posthumous content from deceased users, because apparently your data doesn’t stop being useful to them just because you do. Handing your most intimate biometric information to that company is a case study in one.

Designer: Meta

To be fair, the product itself has a coherent logic behind it. Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses have been received surprisingly well by the press, and the neural wristband that ships with them, which uses electromyography to read muscle signals and translate them into gestures, only works with those glasses. That’s a real limitation. A smartwatch that absorbs that gesture-control functionality while adding health tracking and a persistent AI assistant would close a gap that currently makes the whole setup feel incomplete. From a pure product strategy standpoint, Malibu 2 makes sense.

The hardware ambitions have also matured since Meta’s first attempt at a smartwatch, which was scrapped in 2022 after accumulating plans for detachable cameras and metaverse tie-ins that never quite added up to a coherent device. Malibu 2 is reportedly focused on health tracking and Meta AI integration, which is a much cleaner pitch. The company already has a working partnership with Garmin, visible in the Oakley Vanguard sports glasses and a neural band demo at CES 2026 inside a Garmin-powered car concept. If there’s a natural manufacturing and platform partner for this watch, Garmin is the obvious candidate.

Meta is also reportedly developing the watch to sit alongside updated Ray-Ban Display glasses, internally called Hypernova 2, with both devices likely to be unveiled at Meta Connect in September. The Phoenix mixed reality glasses, meanwhile, have been pushed to 2027 partly because Meta’s executives were concerned about releasing too many devices at once and confusing consumers. That’s a reasonable concern. It’s also a little rich coming from a company whose current product lineup already includes smart glasses with a separate neural band that only controls one device.

The wearables market is genuinely ready for a credible third competitor alongside Apple and Samsung, and Meta has the AI infrastructure and the existing glasses ecosystem to make Malibu 2 compelling from launch. But compelling and trustworthy are different things, and Meta has spent twenty years demonstrating which one it prioritizes. Your Apple Watch data sits in Apple’s ecosystem, behind a company that has made privacy a marketing pillar and a legal battleground. Your Malibu 2 data sits with a company that patented a way to keep monetizing you after you die.

The post Meta Wants to Put an AI Health Tracker on Your Wrist in 2026. What Could Go Wrong?? first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sony is shutting down the studio behind the Demon’s Souls remake

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Sony is closing Bluepoint Games, the studio behind the Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls remakes, Bloomberg reports. Bluepoint's last major project was God of War: Ragnarok from 2022, which it co-developed with Sony Santa Monica. 

According to Bloomberg, Sony decided to shut down the studio following "a recent business review." Around 70 employees will lose their jobs as part of the studio closure, which will officially happen in March. "Bluepoint Games is an incredibly talented team and their technical expertise has delivered exceptional experiences for the PlayStation community," Sony said in a statement to Bloomberg. "We thank them for their passion, creativity and craftmanship."

Following their work on Ragnarok, Bluepoint was reportedly tasked with developing a live-service game set in the God of War universe. That title was cancelled in 2025, alongside another game from Bend Studio. In the context of Sony's other live-service failures, the decision wasn't surprising. Sony shut down the servers for multiplayer shooter Concord just two weeks after its release. Not long after, it also closed Firewalk Studios, the developer behind the game.

Bluepoint Games was originally acquired by Sony in 2021, when it seemed like the studio's expertise in remaking and remastering classic PlayStation games could be a major asset going forward. Why that changed isn't entirely clear, but Sony's mismanagement of its pivot into and out of publishing premium online multiplayer games may have played a role. Some of Sony's studios are still experimenting with live-service mechanics. Guerilla Games recently announced an online co-op game set in its Horizon universe. Destiny 2 developer Bungie is also releasing its extraction shooter Marathon in March.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-shutting-down-the-studio-behind-the-demons-souls-remake-195234213.html?src=rss

Meta is shuttering Messenger’s standalone website, which is a thing that exists

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Meta is shutting down the standalone Messenger website, according to a company help page. The website will disappear in April, though web users will still be able to send and receive messages within Facebook.

"After messenger.com goes away, you will be automatically redirected to use facebook.com/messages for messaging on a computer," the help page reads. "You can continue your conversations there or on the Messenger mobile app."

Users will be able to restore their chat history after switching to the app by entering a PIN number. This is the same PIN that was used to initially create a backup on Messenger. It can be reset for those who simply don't have the bandwidth to remember yet another six-digit code.

Many users have expressed discontent over the decision to shut down the standalone website, according to a report by TechCrunch. This is particularly true for those who have deactivated their Facebook accounts but continued to use Messenger.

This comes just a few months after Meta shut down Messenger's standalone desktop apps. At that time, Meta directed existing users to Facebook to continue using the service and not the dedicated Messenger website. In other words, the writing has likely been on the wall since October.

Messenger has had a long and storied history. The platform first launched as Facebook Chat all the way back in 2008. Facebook Messenger became a standalone app in 2011. The company has long-tried to make Messenger a thing outside of Facebook. It removed messaging capabilities from the main Facebook app in 2014 and began directing users to the Messenger app. Meta began reintegrating Messenger back into the Facebook app in 2023 and now here we are.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/meta-is-shuttering-messengers-standalone-website-which-is-a-thing-that-exists-191808134.html?src=rss