Meta Horizon Worlds now available on web & mobile with hopes to reach a wider audience

After over 18 months of development, Meta is unveiling a new chapter for Horizon Worlds. The VR social application is now available for early access on both web and mobile platforms, signaling a significant expansion beyond its initial headset-exclusive format.

The move to web and mobile platforms marks a strategic shift for Horizon Worlds. By making it accessible to a broader range of users, Meta hopes to increase its user base beyond the confines of the Quest VR headset. This expansion, however, comes with a crucial challenge: ensuring that the platform remains enjoyable for everyone, regardless of the device they use.

Exploring Horizon Worlds

Horizon Worlds offers an immersive experience where users assume the identity of their virtual avatars. Within this virtual realm, users can engage in various activities, from playing games to socialising in creatively crafted ‘worlds’ – some designed by Meta and others by users themselves.

Additionally, users have the opportunity to create and sell items within the platform, although it's worth noting that Meta takes a 47.5 percent share of sales revenue.

Teen access and concerns

Earlier this year, Horizon Worlds expanded its user base to include teenagers. However, this decision drew criticism from Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA). To address privacy concerns, teenage users are automatically subjected to the ‘garbled voices’ (one in which the real character of the voice is significantly changed and often has a quality that fluctuates) setting, which distorts the voices of individuals they don't know into unintelligible gibberish.

The future of avatars 

In a promising development, Meta is actively working on enhancing avatars within Horizon Worlds. Among the anticipated improvements is the introduction of avatars with legs, which promises to make the virtual experience even more lifelike and engaging.

As Horizon Worlds embarks on this new phase, the inclusion of web and mobile users could reshape its virtual landscape and offer fresh possibilities for digital social interaction. The expansion aligns with Meta's vision of creating a more inclusive and accessible metaverse for users worldwide.