Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced the expansion of his metaverse Horizon Worlds beyond virtual reality headsets to mobile devices and computers. In a blog post on September 15, the 3D avatar-based social platform revealed that an early access version of Meta Horizon world is now available on mobile and web platforms. The initial experience currently offered is Super Rumble, a free-for-all shooter game that allows up to six players to compete in fast-paced matches lasting five minutes. Meta plans to introduce more experiences and worlds to the platform in the upcoming months.
Initially, only a limited number of users will have access to the web version or the Meta Quest app on Android, with an iOS release scheduled for the near future. Meta aims to gradually roll out the early access to more users as they gather feedback and enhance the experience. The company emphasizes its belief that the metaverse should be accessible to everyone on any device, stating, “And while Quest headsets are the most immersive way to access the metaverse, we believe there should be multiple entry points.”
Expanding availability to more devices is expected to attract a larger user base for Meta Horizon Worlds. Although Meta has not disclosed specific figures regarding monthly active users, The Wall Street Journal reported in October 2022 that the number was less than 200,000. Currently, Meta’s social platform is only available in Canada, France, Iceland, Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
In an interesting contrast, blockchain-based metaverse platforms like Decentraland and The Sandbox took the opposite approach. They initially launched as PC and web-based experiences before introducing virtual reality capabilities. Decentraland debuted its browser-based 3D virtual world in February 2020, while The Sandbox released its Alpha on PC in November 2021. However, both platforms have yet to release an official virtual reality port.
Furthermore, Meta has addressed a long-standing criticism by adding virtual legs to avatars in Horizon Worlds. Critics previously noted that avatars lacked virtual legs, despite Meta’s significant investment in the metaverse. At Connect 2022, Meta promised an eventual update to include legs sometime in 2023. The functionality was reportedly introduced in a test version update (v57) for Quest Home space a few weeks ago, and it has now been integrated into the Horizon Worlds app.
Overall, Meta’s decision to expand Horizon Worlds to mobile and web platforms marks an important step in making the metaverse accessible to a broader audience. With the introduction of Super Rumble and the promise of more experiences and worlds to come, Meta is actively working to establish its presence in the ever-evolving metaverse landscape.
Source link