Horizon Worlds, the metaverse of Meta arrives in France

Mark Zuckerberg’s avatar posing in front of a virtual Eiffel Tower, officially launches Horizon Worlds, the Metavers of Meta in France. Since Tuesday August 16, this metaverse is available in our country but also in Spain, nine months after its launch in the United States and Canada. In Europe, this dematerialized world which wants to be a social platform in virtual reality was only available in the United Kingdom since June. In the format of a video game, it allows you to create your own worlds and activities and to visit those of others.

Horizon Worlds is only accessible to people over the age of 18. Currently, you must be equipped with a Meta Oculus Quest 2 or Rift virtual reality headset to join users. But the group confided in April to work on a model of Horizon Worlds available on the internet by the end of the year, so that everyone can discover the universe. It is now possible for French people equipped with the helmet at 450 euros to go bowling, go on stage or discover new cultures and languages. “Our vision of the metaverse is a space where physical distance should not limit the ability to connect with each other or limit meaningful opportunities.“says Meta.

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A long, ambitious and costly development

The platform has improved since its debut in December 2021, especially in terms of security. Users raised issues of harassment and sexual assault shortly after the game opened in the United States. A new optional configuration leaves a distance of about one meter between the avatars, a kind of “personal space“. What to avoid non-consented interactions and “help build behavioral normsaccording to Meta. There is also the possibility of isolating oneself in a “safe zone” when a situation becomes untenable. Programs to control voice chat, which is the default communication tool, have also been added to prevent players from being confronted with offensive words. It is finally possible to change the conversations of nearby unknown users into sounds and noises pleasant to the ear.

In February, Meta had over 300,000 monthly users on its metaverse.

“Develop a metaverse vsis a business that is very expensive for several years“, acknowledged Mark Zuckerberg in the latest financial results. In the first quarter of 2022, the group lost $3 billion due to the development of its metaverse. However, he remains confident about the realization of the project by 2030.

“TO As the metaverse grows in importance in all aspects of our lives, whether it’s our social platforms, our entertainment, our work, education or commerce, I am confident that we will be happy to have played an important role in the construction of this project“.

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In the near future, the company that owns Facebook wants to develop economic opportunities for event creators and organizers. Indeed the company sees a commercial interest in it: Meta will take 47.5% on each transaction of virtual objects in the game.