Meta releases Horizon Worlds Metaverse platform in Spain and France

The company is looking to expand its product to the European markets with this move.

August 19, 2022 - Tom Peters

Meta, the tech giant formerly known as Facebook, has released its Horizon Worlds app in Spain and France, marked by CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement on the social media platform Facebook earlier this week.

Horizon Worlds was initially released in December 2021, although it was just limited to US and Canadian users. Now, its Spain and France release is supposed to signify the company’s first step in introducing the app to European consumers.

Horizon Worlds is a VR game that allows users to explore a massive virtual environment with mini-worlds and experiences created by other players and companies. The platform is one of Meta’s offerings in its quest to build a metaverse where people can spend time and money via in-app purchases.

Meta also plans to launch other projects in Spain, including a Meta Workers’ Hub to be built in Madrid, and a partnership with Telefonica, to encourage local companies to invest in the metaverse.

Horizon Worlds’ reception online

Meta’s new announcement about Horizon Worlds has resulted in a new wave of mockery across social media, sparked by a screenshot of the game accompanying Zuckerberg’s announcement.

The screenshot shows Zuckerberg’s avatar standing in a green field with virtual mini replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the Tibidabo Cathedral behind him.

The general internet community’s opinion is that despite Meta investing billions of dollars into the project, Horizon Worlds’ visual quality is still subpar compared to present-day games.

Some even compared its graphics to those of decades-old games. 'Mark Zuckerberg’s Metaverse looks worse than Quake did in 1996,' tweeted one user, @HUncaring.

Meta hopes it can secure a foothold in a market dominated by giants like Epic Games and Activision Blizzard. It is doubtful it will see much success with its unpolished graphics, especially in an era where gamers are used to more advanced ones.

Still, Meta seems to be trudging on in hopes of becoming a household name in the metaverse sector.

Photo: Meta