Meta’s decision to shut down its Spark platform has ignited a wave of dissatisfaction among creators who have relied on the platform to develop augmented reality (AR) effects. The company announced on Tuesday that Spark, which allowed third-party developers to create AR content, will cease operations on January 14, 2025. This decision has left many creators frustrated, confused, and concerned about their futures.
The closure was announced via a post on the Meta Spark Community on Facebook, where numerous creators expressed their discontent. Many learned of the shutdown from the announcement, prompting a sense of betrayal and urgency among those who feel that their work is being abruptly terminated without adequate notice or explanation.
According to the announcement on the Meta Spark website, AR effects created by external brands and creators will no longer be available after January 14, 2025. However, AR effects developed and owned by Meta will continue to be accessible across its suite of apps, including Facebook and Instagram.
“We are deeply grateful to the community of creators, businesses, and other key stakeholders who have been part of the Meta Spark journey,” the company stated in its release. “When we first launched this platform seven years ago, experiences infused with augmented reality were new to most consumers. Since then, the imagination, innovation, and creativity of our AR creator community have helped extend the reach of AR to hundreds of millions of people across Meta’s platforms.”
Launched in 2017, Meta Spark initially entered the market when augmented reality was still a burgeoning field. The platform quickly gained traction, with its AR effects used billions of times by hundreds of millions of Meta users. The program expanded in 2021 to include AR effects for video calls on Messenger, Instagram, and the now-discontinued Portal devices. At its peak, Meta Spark boasted more than 600,000 creators from over 190 countries.
Despite the platform’s significant impact and adoption, Meta indicated that the decision to shut down Spark was made after a “thorough assessment.” The company suggested that this move will enable it to focus on products that align more closely with future consumer and business needs, although it did not specify which products those might be. It is speculated that Meta’s future priorities may involve advancements in its AI tools and initiatives.
The announcement comes as Meta is preparing for its upcoming Meta Connect event, scheduled to begin on September 25 in Menlo Park. Speculation is rife that the company may reveal plans for a new iteration of its AR smart glasses, which could differ from its current Ray-Ban Smart Glasses. The timing of the Spark shutdown raises questions about Meta’s commitment to AR development, especially given its apparent interest in advancing AR technologies.
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One prominent critic of the decision, Douglas Costa, took to the Meta Spark Community page to voice his frustration. “Over the past few years, we creators have invested money, knowledge, advertising, and an entire infrastructure to make this our livelihood,” Costa wrote. “You can’t just abruptly end support for filters in such a simple and easy way — it’s a huge disrespect to us and also to the Facebook/Instagram users, most of whom continue using the platform because of these effects. Five months to end development? It should be at least a year so that we creators can have a better opportunity to build a new portfolio or find a new job. This is inadmissible. I sincerely hope you reconsider this absurd idea of shutting down the platform.”
Costa’s post was followed by a poll in which the majority of creators expressed opposition to Meta’s decision. Many creators are now scrambling to download and save their project files, assets, and demos before the shutdown date. Meta has advised that creators should complete these tasks before January 14, 2025, and announced that the Meta Spark Community group will also be archived after this date.
As the shutdown date approaches, the impact on creators and their work remains a major concern. The abrupt end of Meta Spark represents a significant shift in the AR landscape, leaving many to question the company’s commitment to supporting its developer community.
