Facebook has announced with Horizon a new social VR world. This should allow users to create their own virtual reality worlds. The stop, however, comes for Facebook Spaces and Oculus Rooms.
At the Oculus Connect 6 conference, Facebook has announced a new virtual reality experience. Facebook Horizon is to become a VR world that users can expand to their own liking. The whole thing is reminiscent of a modernized version of Second Life . At the beginning of 2020, Horizon is to be launched as a closed beta version for which users can already apply . The previous VR experiences Facebook Spaces and Oculus Rooms, however, closed on 25 October.
Facebook Horizon: Own avatars and Social VR world
In Facebook Horizon users should be able to design their own avatars and to walk with them through the places designed by other users. In addition, own worlds, such as a South Sea island, can be created, where users can meet other users. There they can watch films together, play games like Wing Strikers or talk. Between the virtual places the users are to be able to jump over Telepods mentioned portals and back. Designers who want to try more than just make a place to hang out can use interactive programming tools to create interactive experiences.
To support, for example against trolls, guides are available, the Facebook called Horizon Locals, as Techcrunch writes . These act as a kind of in-game police. Anyone who feels overwhelmed by the VR world and its users can retreat to a previously defined private space. There, other users have no access. In addition, as usual on Facebook, tools such as blocking or reporting can be used. Likewise, Facebook has created rules on how Horizon users should behave. These include catchwords such as respect, niceness and curiosity.
Facebook has not yet commented on monetization. Possible scenarios would be billboards, paid event rooms of companies or shops where you can equip your avatar. In order to use Facebook Horizon from next year, users need the VR glasses Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift S.