The much-anticipated Meta Connect (https://www.metaconnect.com/en/home)
event is around the corner, and the buzz is undeniable. Spanning September 27-28, 2023, this
year’s edition promises a deep dive into the world of Extended Reality (XR), with a special
emphasis on video games.
An Immersive Experience Awaits
Meta again is partially hosting its Connect event on its flagship Metaverse platform, allowing
attendees to engage through Facebook and Horizon Worlds. But it’s not all virtual—part of the
event will be physically held at Meta’s headquarters. Lucky attendees will have the opportunity
to experience first-hand the firm’s exciting portfolio, which includes the Quest series, Ray-Ban
Stories, Avatars, and the talked-about Horizon Worlds.
Agenda Highlights
Day One: The event will kick off with a keynote address by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, followed by
a Developer State of the Union. Given past events, expect some major announcements!
Day Two: The day will be packed with developer-centric sessions, product revelations, and the
much-anticipated peek at the upcoming Meta Quest 3 MR device.
The Horizon Worlds Evolution
Despite a lukewarm response to the Metaverse service last year, Meta continues its journey to
refine and expand its offerings. In August, the Quest v57 update in the Public Testing Channel
made waves by introducing legs to Quest Home environments.
But what’s truly exciting is the imminent mobile version of Horizon Worlds, aptly named Horizon
Mobile. Designed to seamlessly bridge smartphones and Quest VR headsets, Horizon Mobile
will further Meta’s mission to expand Horizon’s user base via device interoperability.
Stepping Up the Game in Gaming
In line with its ambitions to cement its place in the gaming world, Meta has founded its own in-
house studio, Ouro Interactive. Their maiden VR game, Super Rumble, showcases advanced
graphics and will be one of the pioneering VR games tested on the mobile version of Horizon
Worlds.
But that’s not all—Meta is gearing up to launch more games, backed by an overhauled VR
platform infrastructure capable of supporting sophisticated and high-quality games. The focus is
clear: to offer an enriched “User Generated Content (UGC) powered ecosystem” and facilitate
content growth and scalability.
A Glimpse into the Future
Horizon Worlds, often compared to the gaming sensation Roblox, serves as a 3D social
networking platform. Despite garnering 200,000 monthly active users, Meta’s vision is to elevate
these numbers significantly.
To do this, they’re integrating AI solutions aimed at streamlining the development process for
budding Metaverse creators. As the boundaries between the virtual and real world continue to
blur, Meta is steadfast in its mission to shape and redefine these frontiers.
In summary, Meta Connect 2023 promises to be a monumental event, not just for the company
but for the entire XR industry. With a blend of groundbreaking announcements and showcases,
the future of digital interaction is on the horizon.
We are in the early days of the birthing of Web3 and the Metaverse, and so these events are
like stake markers in their evolution. So very exciting to witness.
