Migration Guide: Moving VR Gig Requests After Meta Discontinues Horizon Workrooms

Hook: If your VR gigs, ticketed meetings, or intake forms ran through Meta Horizon Workrooms, act fast—Workrooms shuts down Feb 16, 2026.

You're not alone. Creators who used Workrooms for paid VR shows, ticketed office hours, or one-off intake sessions woke up in early 2026 to a new reality: Meta discontinued Horizon Workrooms and stopped selling commercial Quest SKUs. That means bookings, recordings, attendee lists, and integrations you relied on could vanish unless you move them now. This guide gives a practical, step-by-step workflow to export your data, pick replacement platforms, and re-open request channels so you don't lose revenue or audience trust.

The short plan (inverted pyramid): get data, pause bookings, pick a replacement, reconnect fans

1. Immediate (48–72 hrs): Export everything and announce the change.
2. Short term (1–14 days): Stand up a temporary, paid intake flow and a landing page.
3. Medium term (2–8 weeks): Replatform into a permanent stack (WebXR, VR app, or hybrid) and test.
4. Long term (1–3 months): Finalize automations, subscription/ticketing models, and data ownership.

Why this matters in 2026

Late 2025 and early 2026 accelerated a consolidation of VR tools. Meta’s exit from Workrooms and commercial Quest sales signaled a shift: creators must own their audience and data, and prefer browser-based WebXR or multi-platform strategies that work whether a headset is present. At the same time, hybrid live streaming and AI-powered request triage tools matured in 2025–2026, making it easier to replace closed ecosystems with modular stacks that scale and monetize better.

What happened

Meta announced discontinuation of Horizon Workrooms (effective Feb 16, 2026) and halted commercial Quest sales (Feb 20, 2026). If you relied on Workrooms for meetings or ticketed VR gigs, you must retrieve data and replatform.

Step 1 — Immediate triage: what to export right now

Before any platform goes dark, make onsite backups and record the exact state of your request channels. Treat this like a site migration or a legal data preservation request.

Priority data to export

• Participant lists: attendee names, emails, and any profile handles. Export calendar invites that contain these lists.
• Meeting recordings & media: videos, spatial audio files, screenshots, 3D assets. Download all cloud or local recordings immediately.
• Chat logs & transcripts: meeting chat, pinned notes, agenda items, and message histories.
• Tickets & payments: invoice numbers, order records, payment processor receipts (Stripe/PayPal), and refunds history.
• Room settings & templates: room layouts, capacity limits, linked assets, and any custom integrations or bot settings.
• APIs & webhooks: logs of webhooks, API keys, and integration settings (Zapier, Discord bots).

How to export (practical checklist)

1. Use Meta’s account tools: go to the Download Your Information or Data Export page for your Meta account and request all Workrooms-related data. Prioritize video and messages.
2. If Workrooms stored recordings in a team folder or cloud bucket, download those files immediately. Large video files need a stable connection—use a cloud transfer tool (rclone, AWS CLI) if you’re comfortable.
3. Open each meeting invite and export ICS files. ICS contains attendee emails and timestamp data—use it to rebuild bookings in another calendar or ticketing system.
4. Export chat logs as plain text or JSON. If the platform doesn't provide a bulk export, use screen capture + automated transcript tools (Otter.ai, Whisper) to recreate the text record.
5. Grab screenshots of room configurations, seating arrangements, and any adjustable parameters you’ll want to replicate.
6. Collect payment records from your payment processors (Stripe Dashboard, PayPal) rather than relying solely on Workrooms order logs.

Practical tip: prioritize user-facing artifacts (emails, tickets, recordings) over platform-only metadata. Those are what your fans will need for refunds, rebooking, and social proof.

Step 2 — Pause, inform, and protect revenue

Don’t leave fans in the dark. Pause new Workrooms bookings where possible, and publish a clear notice across channels.

Announcement template (short)

“Important: Meta has discontinued Horizon Workrooms and we’re moving our VR gigs. If you have a booking or recording with us, we’re exporting data now and will contact you with options within X days. You can request a refund or rebook here: [link].”

Operational steps

• Disable public booking links in Workrooms if the app still allows it.
• Send individual emails to ticket holders with clear options: refund, credit, or rebook.
• Open a temporary intake form (Google Forms, Typeform) linked to payment options (Stripe Checkout or PayPal) to keep revenue flowing.

Step 3 — Choose a replacement strategy (3 models)

You’ll pick one of three migration strategies depending on audience size, tech comfort, and budget.

Option A — Quick hybrid (fastest)

Replace Workrooms with a browser-based WebXR room + livestream. Good for creators who need minimal friction and want cross-device attendance.

• Platforms: WebXR-based rooms (Frame-like, Hubs forks) or hosted WebXR providers.
• Payments & tickets: Eventbrite/Tito + Stripe Checkout, or Shopify/Buy Now buttons for single gigs.
• Community & access: Discord for attendee coordination, password gating for paid sessions.

Option B — Multi-platform VR (best for immersive fans)

Run sessions in a VR-native app like VRChat, Neos, Engage, or a commercial virtual events platform that supports Quest headsets and desktop viewers.

• Requires more setup but preserves immersive features (avatars, spatial audio, persistent rooms).
• Use a ticket engine + unique private instances for each paying group.

Option C — Streaming + limited VR (scalable)

Focus on wider reach: stream the VR experience to Twitch/YouTube while offering limited-stage VR seats. Use streaming for audience-building and premium tiers for VR access.

Step 4 — Rebuild your request intake flow

Recreate the intake experience with a resilient, platform-agnostic stack. Below is a recommended modular stack—mix and match.

Recommended modular stack

• Landing & sales: WordPress/Shopify landing page with clear CTA and FAQ.
• Ticketing: Eventbrite or Tito for public ticketing; Stripe Checkout for direct sales.
• Booking: Calendly or a custom Airtable form for scheduling private gigs.
• Community & comms: Discord with gated channels (role-per-ticket via webhooks), plus email via SendGrid/Mailgun.
• VR room: WebXR room URL or instance spin-up in VRChat/Neos/Engage.
• Automation: Zapier/Make/n8n to route purchases -> create calendar events -> assign Discord roles -> create badges.
• CRM & fulfillment: Airtable or Trello to manage requests, notes, and fulfillment status.

Sample automation flow (practical)

1. Fan buys a ticket on Eventbrite (or pays via Stripe Checkout).
2. Eventbrite webhook -> Zapier -> create Airtable record with purchase metadata.
3. Zapier -> Google Calendar invite sent with the WebXR room link (or VR instance join info).
4. Zapier -> Discord bot grants “Attendee” role and posts a welcome DM with rules and tech checklist.
5. Pre-show: 24-hour reminder email + troubleshooting guide + headset compatibility checklist.

Step 5 — Prevent spam and abuse (gating & verification)

One advantage Workrooms had was a controlled space. When you replatform, recreate protections:

• Require payment or a small refundable deposit to deter low-effort spam requests.
• Use email verification and Discord account linking to ensure identities.
• Apply rate limits and manual approval for high-touch requests (commissions, private shows).
• Set clear TOS/refund windows and publish them on your booking page.

Step 6 — Recreate the experience: UX & technical checklist

Map what fans loved in Workrooms and reproduce it. Below are common features you’ll want to replicate and how to do it.

Key Workrooms features and replacements

• Spatial audio: choose a platform that supports it (Neos, Engage, VRChat) or use simulated spatial audio for WebXR.
• Private rooms: use unique instance links and rotating room IDs to preserve exclusivity.
• Screen sharing / media playback: test media streaming via OBS for broadcasted shows or native sharing in the VR platform.
• Avatars & presence: coordinate avatar imports or give attendees a simple avatar pack to ensure consistent presentation.
• Recording: always set up local and cloud recording redundancy — record both the presenter feed and the audience mix.

Step 7 — Data governance & legal checklist

After platform migration, update these items immediately to avoid disputes and comply with 2026 privacy expectations.

• Backup customer data in your own storage (S3/Azure Blob) and maintain an encrypted archive.
• Update your privacy policy and terms to reflect new platforms and processors (Stripe, Eventbrite, Discord).
• Honor refund requests and keep a clear audit trail of communications and payment adjustments.
• Consider a simple Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for platforms you rely on if you have EU/UK users.

Step 8 — Relaunch: messaging, tests, and soft-open

Now you have a replacement plan and stack—reopen carefully.

1. Run two internal dry-runs: one for the host flow, one for attendee flow (include cross-device tests).
2. Invite a small paid test audience (friends, superfans) to validate the payment flow, join links, and recording capture.
3. Roll out a launch announcement with clear FAQs: how to join, device compatibility, refund policy.
4. Offer a limited-time discount or credit for previous Workrooms ticket holders to preserve goodwill.

Advanced strategies and 2026 trends creators should adopt

As the VR tool landscape evolves in 2026, creators who survive platform shutdowns will be those who embrace:

• Audience ownership: prioritize email lists and Discord over any single VR platform.
• WebXR-first design: WebXR rooms work across headsets and desktops and reduce single-vendor risk.
• Hybrid monetization: combine streaming ad/reach models with ticketed VR seats and subscription tiers.
• AI-assisted triage: use AI to pre-screen and tag incoming requests, auto-suggest pricing and fulfillment templates.
• Composable stacks: avoid monolithic platforms; choose tools you can replace individually without rebuilding everything.

Case study (real-world example)

Creator A, a musician who ran weekly ticketed VR gigs in Workrooms, followed this workflow in January–February 2026:

1. Exported two months of attendee lists and all session recordings within 48 hours.
2. Paused bookings and emailed 120 ticket holders with refund/rebook options.
3. Built a temporary WebXR stage (Frame-like room), set up Eventbrite tickets, and automated access via Zapier -> Discord.
4. Offered a “rebook credit” to old Workrooms ticket holders and did three test shows before public launch.
5. After the move, the creator increased paid attendance by 12% and reduced no-shows through automated reminders and a refundable booking deposit.

Lesson learned: owning the booking and communication stack—email, Discord, Stripe—kept revenue steady despite platform disruption.

Checklist: 30-minute migration triage (what to do first)

• Download account data from Meta (Workrooms-related items first).
• Download all meeting recordings and chat logs.
• Export calendar invites (ICS) and attendee emails.
• Notify ticket holders with refund/rebooking options.
• Stand up a temporary intake form + Stripe payment link.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Pitfall: Relying on a single export method and losing files. Fix: Run parallel downloads and verify checksums for large files.
• Pitfall: Under-communicating to paid attendees. Fix: Use multi-channel notifications—email, Discord, and SMS if you have it.
• Pitfall: Rebuilding a platform that fans can’t access (headset-only). Fix: Offer desktop WebXR fallback or a livestream option.

Templates: Short messages to send now

Public announcement (social)

“Heads up: Meta is discontinuing Horizon Workrooms. If you booked a VR gig/membership with us, we’re exporting data and will reach out with refund or rebook options. We’ll be moving to a WebXR + Discord setup—stay tuned for the new link.”

Customer email (ticket holders)

“Hi [Name], Meta has discontinued Horizon Workrooms (effective Feb 16). Options: 1) Full refund, 2) Credit + early rebooking at 10% off, or 3) Move to our new WebXR room on [date]. Reply with your preferred option and we’ll process it within X days.”

Final checklist before you reopen bookings

• All attendee data exported and backed up.
• Payment flow live and tested (Stripe test cards used).
• Access flow verified on desktop and headset (if offered).
• Automation rules established (tickets -> calendar -> Discord).
• Refund policy updated and published.

Future-proofing: what to monitor in 2026 and beyond

Watch these signals:

• New WebXR standards adoption and increased browser support (fewer headset exclusives).
• Payment/identity primitives like wallet-based access and decentralized IDs that may change gating models.
• Emergence of creator marketplaces that integrate booking, discovery, and fulfillment in one place.

Parting advice

Platform shutdowns are painful but also an opportunity to build a more resilient, revenue-friendly stack. The core lesson from the Workrooms shutdown is simple: own the booking, own the data, and diversify how fans join your shows. With a modular approach—email + Discord + WebXR/VR + Stripe—you’ll reduce single-vendor risk and be ready to experiment with new immersive tools as they mature in 2026.

Call to action

If you want a hands-on migration checklist customized to your setup (tickets, recordings, integrations), download our free Migration Workbook and a ready-to-deploy Zapier template for Eventbrite -> Discord -> Airtable. Or reply here with your current stack and I’ll map a 14-day migration plan you can follow step-by-step.

Related Reading

• Convenience stores and home scent: how Asda Express could transform impulse air-care sales
• AI for Video Ads: Measurement Frameworks That Tie Creative Inputs to Revenue
• Cashless China-Inspired Nights Out: How to Pay When You're ‘Very Chinese’
• Dog‑Friendly Stays: Inspired Ideas From Homes for Dog Lovers in England
• Tiny Bottles, Big Impact: Designing Travel and Sample Sizes for Olive Oil Sampling