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Supernatural

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Supernatural
Information
VR/AR Virtual Reality
Developer Within (2020-2023), Meta Platforms (2023-2026), Supernatural Health (independent relaunch, fall 2026)
Publisher Within, Meta Platforms
Platform Meta Quest
Device Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, Meta Quest Pro
Type Experience
Genre Fitness, Rhythm
Input Device Tracked motion controllers
Play Area Standing
Game Mode Single-player, Online multiplayer
Release Date April 23, 2020
Price Subscription. US $9.99 per month or US $99.99 per year (Meta-operated version, September 2023 to December 2026); US $20 per month or US $200 per year (independent relaunch, fall 2026)
App Store Meta Horizon Store
Website https://www.wearesupernatural.com/
See also: VR Apps and VR Games

Supernatural is a subscription-based virtual reality fitness service for Meta Quest headsets. It was created by the Los Angeles studio Within and launched on the Oculus Store for the original Oculus Quest on April 23, 2020. Workouts pair rhythm-game mechanics, in which the player strikes incoming targets with bat-like controllers and squats or lunges through triangular gates, with recorded human coaches, licensed music and photographed real-world landscapes.[1][2]

Meta Platforms announced in October 2021 that it would buy Within. The United States Federal Trade Commission sued to block the purchase in July 2022, arguing that it would harm competition in the market for dedicated VR fitness apps, but a federal judge refused to stop the deal and Meta closed the acquisition in February 2023. A Boxing mode was added in October 2021, while the deal was pending. Under Meta the subscription price was halved to US $9.99 per month, and the app gained mixed reality warm-ups and a three-person multiplayer mode called Supernatural Together.[3][4][5][6]

On January 13, 2026, Meta said that Supernatural would receive no further content or feature updates, as part of cuts across its Reality Labs division. On June 3, 2026, the original founders and coaches announced that they were taking the service back as an independent company, Supernatural Health, with a new app planned for the Quest store in fall 2026 at US $20 per month or US $200 per year. The Meta-operated app remains available until December 3, 2026.[7][8][9]

Reviewed 20 September 2026. Launch and pricing history, Meta acquisition and FTC case, feature additions, 2026 halt and spin-out, review scores and every cited source. About review dates.

Workouts

Supernatural publishes coach-led workout sessions that are choreographed to licensed songs. The core format, later named Flow, has the player hold a bat in each hand and strike black and white targets in the direction indicated on each one, while triangular gates fly toward the player and force a squat or a lunge to pass through. Scoring rewards both accuracy and the power of each swing. At launch, new workouts were published every day, ran between about 12 and 26 minutes, and were graded by difficulty; some sessions adjusted their difficulty automatically during play.[10][11] The app calibrates each player's range of motion and strike power, and can pair with a Bluetooth heart-rate monitor.[11][2]

Each session is introduced and narrated by a real trainer recorded on video. Leanne Pedante, Supernatural's head of fitness, is one of the coaches.[12] Workouts take place in environments built from high-resolution photo captures of real places, including the Great Wall of China, Isabela Island in the Galapagos, the Erta Ale volcano in Ethiopia and Machu Picchu.[2] A companion smartphone app pairs a heart-rate monitor, schedules workouts and calendar reminders, and lets subscribers follow and challenge friends.[1][11] An August 2020 update added up to four member profiles per subscription, each with its own workout history and calibration, so that a household can share one membership on the same headset.[13][14] The music catalog was licensed from Universal Music Group and other major and independent labels.[2]

The service has grown into five workout categories:[15]

Category Added Description
Flow April 2020 The original full-body cardio workout: target strikes with two bats plus squats and lunges through triangle gates, mapped to music.[10]
Meditation August 2020 Guided and unguided sessions set in the app's landscapes; launched as 10-minute coach-guided meditations.[13][15]
Stretch by October 2021 Coach-led stretching and recovery sessions.[12][15]
Boxing October 2021 Punches, blocks, shuffles and slips thrown in combinations to the beat, with difficulty tiers from "Boxing Basics" to "Pros Only".[12]
Supernatural Together September 2024 Online workouts for up to three people with voice chat, open "Quick Play" lobbies, private "Play with Friends" rooms, customizable avatars and team challenge zones.[16]

In June 2024 the app added mixed reality support on Meta Quest 3: a life-sized coach can appear in the player's own room through passthrough during stretches and warm-ups, and the real surroundings can be blended with the virtual environment. The feature is switched on from the accessibility menu or the Quest 3's passthrough toggle.[17]

Development and launch

Within, co-founded by Chris Milk and Aaron Koblin, was known before Supernatural for its Within VR video app and the Wonderscope AR storytelling app for children.[1][2] Supernatural was announced on the Oculus blog on April 10, 2020 and released on the Oculus Store for Quest on April 23, 2020 at 10 AM Pacific time.[11][1] Within's press release described it as a full-body subscription fitness service with daily "rhythm maps" designed by choreographers, real-time coaching, and metrics that adapt to the player's height, arm span and squat depth.[2]

The service launched with a 30-day free trial, after which "founding members" paid US $19 per month; early subscribers also received a sweat-proof silicone facial liner while supplies lasted.[1][2] An annual plan followed in May 2020, priced at US $149 for subscribers who signed up by May 31 and US $199 from June 1.[18] By November 2020, when TIME listed the app among its 100 Best Inventions of 2020, the price was US $19 per month or US $179 per year, and the app supported the Oculus Quest and Quest 2.[19]

Boxing was added on October 26, 2021, at which point Meta's blog described a library of hundreds of workouts and more than a thousand songs.[12]

Acquisition by Meta

Meta announced on October 29, 2021 that it had agreed to acquire Within. Financial terms were not disclosed; Within said the deal would give it more resources to publish new workouts every day, and Meta's vice president of play, Jason Rubin, said the company believed "multiple third party fitness apps can succeed" in VR. Within was to operate inside Meta's Reality Labs division with its staff retained.[3] The Information reported a purchase price of about US $400 million.[20]

On July 27, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 to seek a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, alongside an administrative complaint. The agency alleged that the deal would lessen competition in a market for VR dedicated fitness apps and in a broader market for all VR fitness apps, in which Meta already competed with Beat Saber, and that Meta, which owned the top-selling headset, a leading app store and seven development studios, was a potential entrant that had chosen to buy Supernatural rather than build a competitor.[4][20] Meta called the case "based on ideology and speculation, not evidence".[20]

Judge Edward J. Davila denied the preliminary injunction in a sealed order dated January 31, 2023; a redacted version was released a few days later. The court accepted the FTC's narrow market definition but found that the agency had not shown Meta would have entered the dedicated-fitness market on its own, because Meta lacked "the capabilities unique to VR dedicated fitness apps, specifically fitness content creation and studio production facilities".[5][21] The FTC said in early February that it would not appeal, Meta closed the transaction on February 8, 2023, and the FTC dismissed its administrative case on February 10.[5][22]

At Meta Connect on September 27, 2023, Meta cut the subscription to US $9.99 per month or US $99.99 per year, down from US $19 per month or about US $180 per year. Existing monthly subscribers moved to the new rate automatically, and annual subscribers had their remaining months doubled.[23][6] In October 2023 Meta began selling Quest 2 and Quest 3 headsets bundled with a first year of Supernatural for US $49.99, half the standard annual rate, in the United States and Canada; Aaron Koblin was credited as the studio's head at the time.[24] Mixed reality support arrived in June 2024, and Supernatural Together was revealed at Meta Connect on September 25, 2024.[17][16]

Throughout the Meta period the service was sold only in the United States and Canada, with a seven-day free trial, and supported the Quest 2, Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S and Meta Quest Pro.[15]

End of Meta development and spin-out

On January 13, 2026, a post in the official Supernatural Facebook group stated that the app would "no longer receive new content or feature updates". The announcement came in the same week that Meta closed its Armature, Twisted Pixel and Sanzaru Games studios; the existing library stayed available to subscribers, who continued to pay US $10 per month.[7] Engadget reported that the cuts were part of wider layoffs across Meta's VR and metaverse operations.[25]

On June 3, 2026, a letter signed "Your Supernatural Team" on the new site WeAreSupernatural.com announced that the service was "coming back as an independent company", with all of its coaches returning and a new app due on the Quest store in fall 2026.[26] The new company is called Supernatural Health and is led by Within founders Chris Milk and Aaron Koblin with a small core team.[8][27][9] Its FAQ says that Meta "has been supportive throughout" and that the transition "reflects a shared belief that Supernatural's community is best served by a focused, independent team".[9] Road to VR noted that the spin-out came only about three years after the US $400 million acquisition.[28]

The relaunch returns to the original price level: US $20 per month or US $200 per year, with a "Founding Member" rate of US $180 for the first year for people who register before launch. The team said the higher price is needed to pay staff industry salaries, license music directly and fund new features as a much smaller company that is rebuilding major parts of the technology.[26][9] The new app uses fresh accounts and its own privacy policy; the company says it is working to carry over points, streaks and join dates, that favorites lists will not transfer, and that it will bring forward as much of the original workout library as music licensing allows. It will launch in the United States and Canada, will support the Quest 2 for as long as Meta does, and offers up to 100 sponsored one-year memberships through a scholarship program.[9] The site lists six returning coaches, including Leanne Pedante.[26]

The Meta-operated app, which is still managed and billed by Meta, will remain available until December 3, 2026; annual plans that run past that date are to be refunded pro rata.[9][25]

Release

Platform Date Notes
Oculus Quest April 23, 2020 Launch on the Oculus Store; 30-day free trial, then US $19 per month for founding members.[1]
Meta Quest 2 by November 2020 Listed as a supported headset by TIME in November 2020.[19]
Meta Quest 3 October 2023 Sold in a Supernatural bundle from October 24, 2023; mixed reality mode added June 2024.[24][17]
Meta Quest 3S by 2026 Supported alongside the Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro during the Meta period.[15]
Meta Quest (independent app) Fall 2026 (planned) New app from Supernatural Health; Meta-operated app available until December 3, 2026.[9]

Pricing history

Period Monthly Annual Notes
April 2020 US $19 none Founding-member rate after a 30-day trial.[1]
May-June 2020 US $19 US $149, then US $199 from June 1 Annual plan introduced.[18]
November 2020 US $19 US $179 As listed by TIME.[19]
Before September 2023 US $19 about US $180 Pricing before the Meta Connect 2023 cut.[6]
September 2023 to December 2026 US $9.99 US $99.99 Meta-operated app; seven-day trial; US and Canada.[23][15]
Fall 2026 (planned) US $20 US $200 (US $180 first year for Founding Members) Independent relaunch.[9]

Reception

In its May 2020 review, Road to VR scored Supernatural 7.7 out of 10, with sub-scores of 7 for gameplay, 8 for immersion and 9 for comfort. Reviewer Scott Hayden praised the production values, the music selection and the near-photorealistic environments, but found the strike-and-squat mechanic repetitive despite the daily additions, noted that the recorded coaches cannot correct form, and judged the US $19 monthly fee steep next to buying several fitness games outright.[10]

TIME named Supernatural one of the 100 Best Inventions of 2020, calling it "The Anywhere Workout".[19] The app's official Facebook community group had about 77,000 members in February 2023 and more than 88,000 by September 2023.[22][23] The FTC's 2022 complaint quoted Within's own leadership describing fitness as "the killer use case for VR", and the district court's 2023 ruling treated VR dedicated fitness apps as a distinct product market, in part because of their subscription pricing.[4][5] When Meta halted development in January 2026, UploadVR reported that subscribers credited the coaches with sustained fitness results, and that the most upvoted community response asked why a yearly fee should continue without new content.[7]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Scott Hayden (2020-04-23). "Subscription-based VR Fitness App 'Supernatural' Coming to Quest Today". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/supernatural-subscription-vr-fitness-oculus-quest/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Within Introduces 'Supernatural,' An In-Home VR Fitness Experience For Oculus Quest". PR Newswire. Within. 2020-04-23. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/within-introduces-supernatural-an-in-home-vr-fitness-experience-for-oculus-quest-301045925.html. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Brian Heater (2021-10-29). "Meta (Facebook) is buying Within, creators of the Supernatural VR fitness app". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/29/meta-facebook-is-buying-within-creators-of-the-supernatural-vr-fitness-app. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "FTC Seeks to Block Virtual Reality Giant Meta's Acquisition of Popular App Creator Within". Federal Trade Commission. 2022-07-27. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/07/ftc-seeks-block-virtual-reality-giant-metas-acquisition-popular-app-creator-within. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Jonathan Rubin (2023-02-21). "FTC Drops Challenge to Meta's Acquisition of Virtual Reality Fitness Company After Court Denies Preliminary Injunction". The National Law Review. https://natlawreview.com/article/ftc-drops-challenge-to-meta-s-acquisition-virtual-reality-fitness-company-after. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Ian Hamilton (2023-10-05). "Supernatural On Quest Is Now A $100 Per Year Home Gym". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/supernaturals-new-price-gym/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Ian Hamilton and David Heaney (2026-01-13). "Supernatural Will No Longer Get New Content Or Features". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/supernatural-coaches-face-same-fate-as-oculus-home-echo-arena/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Amanda Silberling (2026-06-03). "Meta mercifully spun out VR fitness game Supernatural instead of just killing it". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/03/meta-mercifully-spun-out-vr-fitness-game-supernatural-instead-of-just-killing-it/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 "FAQ". Supernatural. Supernatural Health. https://www.wearesupernatural.com/faq. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Scott Hayden (2020-05-12). "'Supernatural' Review - Fun Gameplay, Breathtaking Visuals, But Hefty Entry Price". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/supernatural-vr-review-quest/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "Introducing 'Supernatural,' a Fun New Way to Stay Fit in VR". Meta Quest Blog. Meta Platforms. 2020-04-10. https://www.meta.com/blog/introducing-supernatural-a-fun-new-way-to-stay-fit-in-vr/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 "Supernatural Adds Boxing to Its Roster of VR Workouts". Meta Quest Blog. Meta Platforms. 2021-10-26. https://www.meta.com/blog/supernatural-adds-boxing-to-its-roster-of-vr-workouts/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Sweat Equity: 'Supernatural' Adds Profiles and Meditations, Plus Some Inspiring Community Stories". Meta Quest Blog. Meta Platforms. 2020-08-20. https://www.meta.com/blog/sweat-equity-supernatural-adds-profiles-and-meditations-plus-some-inspiring-community-stories/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  14. ↑ Ian Hamilton (2020-08-23). "Supernatural For Oculus Quest Adds Workout Family Plans". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/supernatural-family-plans/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 "Frequently Asked Questions". Supernatural. Meta Platforms. https://www.getsupernatural.com/faq. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Henry Stockdale (2024-09-26). "Supernatural Together Adds Group-Based Workouts To The VR Fitness App". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/supernatural-together-adds-group-based-workouts-to-the-vr-fitness-app/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Henry Stockdale (2024-06-05). "Supernatural Adds Mixed Reality Support, With The Lion King Workout To Follow". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/supernatural-mixed-reality-support/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Scott Hayden (2020-05-15). "Quest Fitness App 'Supernatural' Now Offers Annual Subscriptions, Starting at $149". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/supernatural-quest-annual-subscription-149/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 "The Anywhere Workout: Supernatural by Within". TIME. 2020-11-19. https://time.com/collection/best-inventions-2020/5911373/within-supernatural/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Lucas Matney (2022-07-27). "FTC sues Meta to block acquisition of VR fitness app". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2022/07/27/ftc-is-suing-meta-to-block-acquisition-of-vr-fitness-app/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  21. ↑ Diane Bartz (2023-02-04). "U.S. judge denies FTC request to stop Meta from acquiring VR firm Within". Reuters. Yahoo Finance. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-federal-judge-denies-u-030217880.html. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Amanda Silberling (2023-02-09). "Meta acquires Within despite FTC concerns". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/09/meta-acquires-within-despite-ftc-concerns. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Alan Truly (2023-09-28). "Supernatural VR fitness app gets a big price drop". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/supernatural-vr-fitness-app-gets-a-big-price-drop/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Supernatural Introduces Subscription Bundles with Meta Quest 2 + 3". Meta Quest Blog. Meta Platforms. 2023-10-24. https://www.meta.com/blog/supernatural-quest-3-bundle-promo-discount-vr-fitness/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Lawrence Bonk (2026-06-03). "VR exercise platform Supernatural is getting a second chance as an independent company". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2186789/vr-exercise-platform-supernatural-is-getting-a-second-chance-as-an-independent-company/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 "Supernatural". Supernatural. Supernatural Health. 2026-06-03. https://www.wearesupernatural.com/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  27. ↑ "Supernatural To Return Under New Independent Company As Coaches Rejoin Platform". UploadVR. 2026-06-03. https://www.uploadvr.com/supernatural-to-return-under-new-independent-company-as-coaches-rejoin-platform/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
  28. ↑ Scott Hayden (2026-06-04). "Meta is Spinning out 'Supernatural' a Mere 3 Years After $400M Acquisition". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/meta-spins-out-supernatural/. Retrieved 2026-09-20.
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