Facebook, which rebranded into Meta, after CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the company will be introducing a Metaverse in 2021, launched Horizon Worlds. Reddit users share their thoughts on the virtual platform that received extreme backlash from the general public and media.
Metaverse is defined as the internet of the future where users will be able to switch between virtual worlds seamlessly, the same way we surf from one website to another.
Well, Zuckerberg was ready to join this bandwagon by building a separate platform that brings together businesses, individuals, and governments with a digital economy system.
Facebook is already a leading tech giant that proved itself dominant in the social media industry but it seems to have failed in the Web3 sector.
Meta has been constantly arguing it is building a revolutionary project aka the “VR social experience” but so far it hasn’t made any progress except adding “legs” to the metaverse avatars.
Why does the metaverse look so bad?
“Why does the metaverse look so bad?” Reddit users are discussing the issue of Meta’s persistence to build this platform. According to the sources, the company has spent around $15 billion to fund Horizon Worlds but the quality doesn’t show this amount was ever spent.
“A lot of games much older than metaverse, with a fraction of its budget, look and function much better than it,” @UsualButterscotch739 said.
One of the users (@Saintdemon) defended by arguing that the company is trying to achieve a platform that can run on “lower-end hardware and on poorer network-connections.”
So instead of targeting just the users who own VR headsets, the company is aiming toward the general public that cannot afford to buy expensive equipment to access the platform. However, even for low-standard hardware, the graphics aren’t up to the notch.
Another user claims that Facebook’s VR program wasn’t as successful even though it was created to rival Google’s devices. The Horizon World is an extension of its virtual reality experience with Oculus Quest.
“In 2022, Facebook had to decide whether to abandon their VR program, or triple down and finally make the world-dominating googles device that they always wanted. And Mark Zuckerberg has decided to triple down!” @GregBahm posted.
There are many other platforms like Roblox that enable users around the world to access the metaverse even if they don’t own a high-price PC, giving small creators a chance to establish their careers online.
Playstation creator calls Metaverse “pointless”
After Meta announced they’re building metaverse, a debate sparked among industry creators and builders which took two sides. Playstation creator Ken Kutaragi also came up to express his opinions on Metaverse.
According to Kutaragi, “the metaverse is about making quasi-real in the virtual world, and I can’t see the point of doing it.” He believes it’s better to show your real self and live a life inside a polished avatar.
Playstation is yet to introduce any metaverse initiatives. Meta is currently one of the few tech giants that are working on building a virtual world; however, other companies are closely watching the market response to these projects.
Will Meta’s Metaverse work?
Reddit along with other users are questioning Meta’s metaverse plans as to whether it will work at all or not. Based on the latest news, Facebook’s sales have declined and the company also saw a massive drop in its stock price but Zuckerberg still insists he wants to build the metaverse.
Recently, he posted a selfie in Horizon Worlds saying the facial impressions have improved and that he was excited to see the future developments within the platform. However, the internet didn’t miss the chance to ridicule the avatar picture.
Although Meta hasn’t revealed its metaverse plans for 2023, the investors hope Zuckerberg lets this project go and does something else. Will he really give up on Metaverse or insist on building even next year?
