Like all great protagonists, Facebook arose from humble beginnings: a Harvard dorm and a young man to publicly rate his university peers based on appearance. Mark Zuckerberg, a young man with a dream, risked his youth, dropped out of college and went on to build the social media behemoth we’ve all come to know as Facebook.
Zuckerberg clawed his way to the top and built an empire—the Facebook Metaverse—after going through the valley of darkness, years of iteration, and unlocking the secret of monetization with ads.
Learn about Facebook’s Meta branding and products, as well as how the company is investing in the Metaverse’s future.
What Exactly is the Metaverse?
The Metaverse is an interconnected network of virtual worlds. The term was coined by author Neal Stephenson in his 1992 science fiction novel “Snow Crash” about life in virtual reality. Metaverse elements can be found in video games such as Minecraft, Fortnight, and Axie Infinity.
Currently, the Metaverse is made up of many individual worlds rather than one interconnected world. For example, the worlds of Minecraft and Fortnight are distinct. Each has its own avatar, currency, rules, and level of access. Roblox, a popular gaming platform, has a storefront where users can choose which games to play. Basic play is free, but advanced play requires the purchase of Robux.
The goal is for these worlds to merge to form a single connected metaverse.
The Metaverse goes beyond video games. Among other things, Meta’s Horizon Worlds social platform includes virtual offices called Horizon Workrooms and a virtual events platform called Horizon Venues.
Microsoft is developing 3D real estate for stores and workplaces, as well as virtual training for soldiers in collaboration with the US Army.
Project Starline from Google is a holographic video conferencing platform that simulates in-person interaction.
What Exactly is Facebook Metaverse?
The Facebook metaverse takes a slightly different approach to the concept than most of its competitors. Mark Zuckerberg sees the Metaverse as the mobile Internet’s heir. He believes that the Metaverse will make people’s online experiences less passive.
Zuckerberg sees the future online experience as one in which new technologies connect people.
The Facebook metaverse’s future is one in which going online means entering a parallel reality. It will be a location where people can spend time at their workplace for a meeting before immediately transitioning to hiking trails or the slopes.
There will be no transit time or inconveniences associated with real-world travel during those transitions. People can also instantly connect with friends and family to share their experiences. This idea of sharing virtual experiences with others is central to Facebook’s interpretation of the concept.
Mark Zuckerberg isn’t just interested in inventing a new digital world. He’s also taking Facebook’s emphasis on social interaction to a new level. This demonstrates how the Internet exploded in popularity once people were able to connect primarily through their mobile devices.
Why is Facebook Stepping into the Metaverse?
Facebook is clearly putting a lot of effort into the Metaverse. But it’s important to remember that all of this work is the result of intent. The decisions made today will shape the future of the Facebook metaverse. So, why is Facebook so obsessed with the Metaverse?
One of the most important points is that Facebook has already established a significant platform for the Metaverse. The Metaverse is largely based on human connections. It’s essentially a virtual world full of real people with digital avatars. Facebook, as a platform, already has a physical presence.
The average person already has a Facebook app and a digital presence on the platform. By interacting with others on Facebook, a large user base has essentially taken the first step into the Metaverse.
Furthermore, Facebook has technologies that are currently out of use that would be ideal for the Metaverse. A good example is facial recognition. It is no longer used on the main platform but is still available in the Metaverse.
Finally, Facebook benefits from having an existing VR presence. Their oculus hardware is an excellent starting point for exploring the Metaverse.
Examples of Facebook Metaverse
It’s critical to remember that the Metaverse is still in its early stages. It has already developed into a thriving universe of wonders. However, new developments in that virtual space occur on a daily basis.
Similarly, Facebook is still in its early stages with the Metaverse. However, even at this early stage of development, the Facebook metaverse has some fantastic examples of what people can expect. These are some of the most intriguing and important projects Facebook is currently working on.
Facebook Horizon Enterprises
Horizon Works is more of a methodology and collection of apps than a standalone program. To access office suites, you need a computer and an operating system. Horizon Works will also be used to access productivity-related systems within the Facebook metaverse.
Horizon Locations
Works attempt to alter the nature of the workplace. And venues are attempting to alter how people perceive entertainment venues. Consider how wonderful it would be to always have the best seat in the house at concerts.
Gaming
Gaming is currently one of the most popular applications for VR. Facebook is no stranger to online gaming. It should come as no surprise that the Facebook metaverse has enormous gaming potential. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will be available on the platform.
Fitness
As more people prefer virtual environments to physical gyms (especially in the aftermath of the pandemic), devices like Meta Quest 2 may become your go-to fitness equipment.
The recent release of the Active Pack for Quest 2 indicates that Facebook’s Metaverse will include plans for fitness activities.
To make the experience more immersive and lifelike, Facebook’s Metaverse Active Pack will include new grips for touch controllers.
These, like physical grips, will assist you in maintaining control while sweating, and an exercise-optimized facial interface will take the place of the humble towel – all within the Metaverse.
Is Metaverse Development Responsible?
The Facebook metaverse is a valuable platform. It’s a virtual world where people can learn, play, and make genuine human connections with one another. But with such great power comes great responsibility. And Facebook has stated that they take this responsibility very seriously.
The company has stated that they are collaborating with human and civil rights organizations to ensure that inclusivity is built into the Metaverse from the beginning. However, Facebook is not only collaborating with non-profits. They also collaborate with other companies to ensure that the Metaverse is a stable and interoperable system.
Facebook emphasizes responsibility in a few key areas. Economic opportunity, privacy, safety, and equity are among them. Personal opportunity is a central theme in all of these topics. People will be able to thrive in any way they want, whether that is through economic participation or access to education.
Facebook Metaverse Issues
Of course, any large project will raise concerns. That is also true of the Facebook metaverse. People have been critical of Facebook’s involvement in the Metaverse.
Concerns About Privacy
It’s natural to anticipate that the Facebook metaverse will be similar. Facebook is a massive archive of every user’s life. This means that it will eventually contain a massive amount of data from everyone.
Furthermore, people need to be able to disconnect the data by removing their VR goggles. Corporations may even try to influence public opinion by presenting different metaverses to different people. Therefore, Facebook must always ensure that people’s privacy is protected.
Facebook’s General Mistrust
Many people do not consider Facebook to be a secure or trustworthy platform. This is primarily due to the previously mentioned privacy concerns. However, this is also due to the fact that Facebook’s current user base is getting older. The average age of a Facebook user is now 41. The platform is attempting to attract a younger audience. And some people believe they might use the Metaverse as an addictive lure to do so.
Distracting Attention from the PR Crisis
Facebook is currently dealing with a public relations crisis caused by various factors. The company has been linked to everything from harmful disinformation to political polarization and even poor mental health in young adults.
Some are concerned that Facebook’s rebranding as Meta, as well as interest in the Metaverse, are more about distraction than development. They argue that the company attempts to divert negative attention by engaging in a flashy and exciting venture.
In Conclusion
To summarize, Facebook and Meta are just some of the major players in the metaverse sector. Many other tech behemoths have joined the race to become the most visible metaverse company. Whether they are focused on producing technology, devices, or software, each is looking for a distinct angle to solidify their position in the industry.
The Facebook metaverse will continue to expand indefinitely. In a short period of time, the company has already produced an impressive number of example implementations. And their future plans are equally impressive.
