The Metaverse Launched With Aplomb But Is There Trouble In The Fantasy Land?

Over the last few years, you must have heard a lot about the concept of Metaverse. That’s thanks to the push of one specific company. Any guesses?

Meta, the parent company of social networking platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, has long aspired to grow the Metaverse. The company even changed its name from Facebook Inc. to Meta Platforms Inc. in a strategic bid to rebrand in this direction.

So, what is the metaverse?

Although there’s no universally accepted definition of the concept, Meta describes it as “a set of virtual spaces where you can create and explore with other people who aren’t in the same physical space as you.”

To make it simple, think of the book-based movie, Ready Player One.

Meta even has a free virtual reality online video game, Horizon Worlds, in which users can create and visit spaces to socialize, play games and interact with friends and new people.

Other than Meta, numerous video games and platforms are engaged in the metaverse, which includes Fortnite, Roblox, Amazon, Nvidia and others. The increase in interest has led to various people, artists and multinational companies like Walmart, Nike, Adidas and Balenciaga among others joining in or setting up shops in the metaverse.
 
However, not all is going well in Meta’s metaverse.

According to reports by The Wall Street Journal, in February 2022, Meta’s Horizon Worlds had an estimated 300,000 users but witnessed a fall by October 2022 to less than 200,000 monthly users.

Over time, it has received mixed reviews due to its buggy and unenjoyable experience.

Recently, a report alleged that comedian Rodney Ramsey claimed that Meta is burying his stand-up comedy shows on the platform.

Using ProtestLand, a small world in Horizon Worlds, Ramsey conveyed his dismay onstage offset to placards that read “Is this the meta VERSE or the meta WORST?”. Holding a virtual megaphone, he said, “The reason why people keep coming back to this metaverse is for the stuff that the creators are making, not the stuff that Meta is making. Even though their stuff is cool, too, and we love that they built the metaverse, the metaverse is about us.”


As Meta’s Horizon Worlds struggles to gain and retain users, Meta’s VP of the metaverse, Vishal Shah, conveyed that the company would not release any new features and go on a “quality lockdown” through 2022, due to glitches.

With other platforms doing well in this arena, Meta needs to improve, especially as its users say they’ll move to other platforms.

Have you used Meta’s metaverse platform? Do you think they can regain users with timely improvements? Let us know in the comments below!