Supernatural's fitness chief on relaunching the VR workout app after Meta cuts

VR fitness platform Supernatural plans to relaunch as an independent company later this year, months after Meta announced staff cuts and a pause on new content for the app. Subscription pricing will return to its original launch level of $20 a month or $200 a year.

In an interview on the Engadget Podcast, founding coach and current Head of Fitness Leanne Pedante said the team is working to bring back everything users loved — a library of more than 3,000 workouts, the same coaches and the same environments. Music licensing negotiations are underway, and new content releases will resume after a long pause.

Community response

Pedante said most of Supernatural's community supports the new plan despite the price increase, though members of the Supernatural subreddit have been less enthusiastic. New and existing subscribers can become "Founding Members" at a discounted $180 for the first year.

Being a smaller, flat organization lets the company move quickly and respond to concerns, she said — pointing to a newly created scholarship program for members facing financial hardship. Limited scholarships will be reviewed and granted quarterly by Supernatural's team.

Even with the price bump, Supernatural remains cheaper than a typical gym membership, though users still need a headset — a Meta Quest 3S starts at $350, while the Quest 3 costs up to $600.

Community ties and what's next

Pedante highlighted the strong community Supernatural has built, recalling recent meetups in Seattle and Denver where she met hundreds of subscribers, including a couple who married after meeting through workouts on the app. The company is also exploring ways to reach members beyond headsets, including camera-based devices and training programs that extend outside VR.