Capital Economy, Business and Finance
On 3 February Meta said it was on track to invest $100 billion in augmented virtual reality this year, but an advert this week for its best known VR game left people wondering where that money could be going.
Horizon Worlds is described by Meta as “a social platform that's optimised for the metaverse” and by redditors as “a watered down version of VRchat” in which, in theory, people can socialise and play games as their metaverse avatars.
In a Valentine-themed advert, set in an empty gymnasium, avatars share break-up stories such as “chose tarantula over me” and “broke up with me using emojis” with vacant facial expressions and hands that disappear into their thighs (legs are a recent addition to the platform).
Despite Meta’s commitment into funneling money into this and other AR/VR products, according to Forbes, Horizon Worlds has lost nearly $70 billion.
