Meta's decision to shut down its Spark platform has sparked a wave of discontent among creators who have used 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. The decision has left many creators frustrated, confused and worried about their future.
The closure was announced via a Meta Spark community post on Facebook, with many creators voicing their dissatisfaction. Many found out about the closure through this announcement, heightening a sense of betrayal and urgency among those who felt their work had been abruptly terminated without sufficient notice or explanation.
According to an announcement on Meta Spark's website, AR effects made 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 the company's suite of apps, including Facebook and Instagram.
“We're deeply grateful to the community of creators, businesses, and other key stakeholders who have been part of the Meta Spark journey,” the company said in a release. “When we first launched the platform seven years ago, experiences incorporating augmented reality were new to most consumers. Since then, the imagination, innovation and creativity of the AR creator community has helped bring AR to hundreds of millions of people across Meta's platform.”
Launched in 2017, Meta Spark entered the market at a time when augmented reality was still a growing field. The platform quickly gained popularity, and its AR effects have been used billions of times by hundreds of millions of Meta users. The program expanded in 2021 to also include AR effects for video calling on Messenger, Instagram, and the now-discontinued Portal device. At its peak, Meta Spark boasted more than 600,000 creators from over 190 countries.
Despite the platform's significant influence and adoption, Meta said the decision to close Spark came after a “thorough evaluation.” The company suggested the move would allow it to focus on products that more closely align with future consumer and business needs, but did not specify which products. It has been speculated that Meta's future priorities could include advancing AI tools and initiatives.
The announcement comes as Meta prepares for its Meta Connect event, scheduled to begin in Menlo Park on September 25. Speculation has been rife that the company may announce plans for a new version of AR smart glasses that may be different from the current Ray-Ban Smart Glasses. The timing of Spark's shutdown raises questions about Meta's commitment to AR development, especially as the company has expressed interest in advancements in AR technology.
Douglas Costa, one of the prominent critics of the decision, expressed his dissatisfaction on the Meta Spark community page. “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 so simply and abruptly end support for filters like this. It's a huge disrespect not only to us, but also to Facebook/Instagram users who continue to use the platform for these effects. Five months to end development? We need at least a year to give us creators a better opportunity to build a new portfolio or find new work. This is unacceptable. I hope you will reconsider this ridiculous idea to close the platform.”
In a survey conducted following Costa's post, the majority of creators expressed their opposition to Meta's decision. Many creators are currently struggling to download and save their project files, assets, and demos before the shutdown date. Meta has advised creators to complete these tasks by January 14, 2025, and has also announced that the Meta Spark community group will be archived after this date.
As the shutdown date nears, the impact on creators and their work remains a major concern. Meta Spark's sudden demise represents a major shift in the AR industry, with many questioning the company's commitment to supporting its developer community.