Since Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook’s rebrand as ‘Meta’ last October, many online users have been expecting big things from the company. Just last week the company released its latest update, creators in Spain and France will now be able to use Meta’s Horizon Worlds VR creation sandbox.
The images used to showcase these developments have been met with heavy criticism online due to the seemingly basic and outdated graphics which some critics have compared to ‘early 90s-style graphics’ and ‘a 2008 Wii game.’ This is no doubt not the reception that CEO Zuckerberg was hoping for and a disappointment given the billions already invested in the company with little evidence of progression or popularity amongst the public.
On the other hand, it seems that some brands and creators are on the side of Meta and continue to support the potential that the platform has. For example, Dentsu Creative, a media solutions company based in Japan, is the latest company to create virtual characters to be used in the Metaverse. Their global chief creative officer Fred Levron seems confident in Meta’s future, stating that:
“The lines between the online and offline world are increasingly blurred, and we’re at the tipping point to see the potential of the Metaverse fully realized.”
He also claims that the live streaming market could be worth as much as $274 billion by 2027 and therefore holds huge potential for brands.
This update serves to remind us that Meta still has some way to go to not only distance itself from the poor reputation of the ‘old’ Facebook and provide something that is completely unique and forward-thinking for users and creators.
