Sections of this topic
In this article, we’ll look at the reasons behind Meta’s decision to discontinue the event creation tool for its Horizon Worlds platform, and how it affects creators who are working to build communities within the metaverse.
Key Takeaways:
- Meta has announced that creators can no longer make dedicated events on the Horizon Worlds platform.
- The decision was made due to the feature not meeting Meta’s quality standards.
- Creators are facing challenges in building and promoting their events on the platform.
- The Unknown Theater, a comedy club in Horizon Worlds, is considering expanding to other platforms.
- Meta remains committed to the metaverse, despite the decision to discontinue the event creation tool.
Meta’s Decision to Discontinue Event Creation:
On Tuesday, Meta unveiled the v109 update notes for the Horizon Worlds platform.
A significant change was the discontinuation of the event creation tool for creators using the platform.
The reason given was that the feature did not meet Meta’s quality standards.
The company stated that they had refocused their development efforts on improving the overall quality of the platform.
As part of this process, they revisited some legacy features that didn’t live up to their renewed quality standards.
The event creation tool was one such feature that didn’t make the cut.
The Impact on Creators and Their Communities:
This decision comes as a blow to creators who relied on the event creation tool to build and promote their communities.
One such group of creators was the Unknown Theater, an in-VR comedy club that had previously organized a VR protest over Meta’s treatment of events on the platform.
Creators like Richard Slixton, a stand-up comedian who hosts his own comedy open mics in Horizon, expressed frustration over the move.
Slixton said that creators put in hours of effort to build their worlds and organize events, but they struggled to get noticed due to the platform’s event organization system.
Now, with the discontinuation of the event creation tool, it will be even more challenging for creators to build their communities.
Existing events scheduled to take place after Tuesday can still occur, but users won’t be able to create new ones.
Only some “official events” (presumably Meta-backed ones) will be promoted.
Meta acknowledged that the current events system was not meeting the needs of the community at large.
However, the company’s decision to discontinue the feature entirely has left many creators feeling disheartened and unsure about the future of their events in Horizon Worlds.
Unknown Theater’s Plans for the Future:
The Unknown Theater, like many other creators, is now faced with the need to adapt to the changes imposed by Meta.
Simon Josh Abramovitch, one of the club’s co-owners, revealed that while they still plan to continue hosting shows in Horizon Worlds, they are also exploring other platforms.
One such platform is Flipside Studio, which allows creators to livestream VR shows.
The Unknown Theater’s move to expand to other platforms showcases the adaptability of creators in the face of challenges and the need to find alternative ways to build and engage their communities.
Meta’s Ongoing Commitment to the Metaverse:
Despite the decision to discontinue the event creation tool, Meta remains dedicated to the development of the metaverse.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg declared 2023 to be the “year of efficiency,” and the company expects operating losses for its Reality Labs division to increase year over year in 2023.
Even though the event creation tool is going away, Meta stated that they will continue to feature some official events in the user interface (UI).
Additionally, the company plans to test and learn from these events, which could help inform the future direction of events more broadly in the platform.
Meta’s commitment to the metaverse is evident in their ongoing development of the Horizon Worlds platform.
The company is currently working on web and mobile versions of the platform to make it more accessible, though they have not been released yet.
However, the platform still faces struggles with retaining its relatively few users, as it is currently only compatible with Meta’s Quest VR headsets.
Conclusion:
Meta’s choice to discontinue the event creation tool for the Horizon Worlds platform has stirred up concerns among creators who relied on this feature to build and foster their communities within the metaverse.
This decision highlights the ongoing challenges these creators face as they work to engage their audiences and promote their events.
Adaptability has become key for creators like the Unknown Theater, who are exploring alternative platforms to ensure the growth and sustainability of their communities.
Despite this setback, Meta remains dedicated to the development and success of the metaverse.
Their ongoing commitment to improve the Horizon Worlds platform and learn from official events suggests that the company is keen on addressing the needs of its creators.
As the virtual universe progresses, we can observe how Meta and its makers adjust to these developments and discover fresh ways to establish successful groups in the digital realm.
