Global: Meta’s Horizon Worlds Expands to Mobile and Web in Early Access

Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is extending the reach of his metaverse project, Horizon Worlds, from virtual reality headsets to mobile devices and computers.

In a blog post on September 15, the 3D avatar-based social platform announced that it had begun the early access rollout of its first Meta Horizon world to mobile and web platforms.

The initial offering available is “Super Rumble,” a free-for-all shooter that originally launched for VR devices in late July. It allows two to six players to engage in fast-paced matches lasting five minutes. Meta has promised that more experiences and worlds will be added to the platform in the coming months.

At the start of the rollout, access will be limited to a small group of users on the web or through the Meta Quest app on Android, with an iOS rollout planned for the coming weeks.

Meta stated, “Early access will roll out to more people gradually as we gather feedback and evolve the experience.”

The tech giant emphasized its commitment to making the metaverse accessible to everyone, regardless of the device they use. While Quest headsets offer the most immersive experience, Meta is aiming to provide multiple entry points.

Meta has not disclosed public statistics on its monthly active users, but a report from The Wall Street Journal in October 2022 estimated it to be less than 200,000.

Currently, Meta’s social platform is available in select countries, including Canada, France, Iceland, Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Interestingly, blockchain-based metaverse platforms like Decentraland and The Sandbox initially launched as PC and web-based experiences before considering virtual reality ports. Decentraland introduced its browser-based 3D virtual world in February 2020, and The Sandbox launched its Alpha on PC in November 2021. However, official VR ports for these platforms are yet to be released.

In other news, Meta has updated the avatars in Horizon Worlds to include virtual legs, a feature that users have long awaited. Zuckerberg faced criticism when the metaverse was launched without giving avatars virtual legs. During Connect 2022, Meta announced that legs would be added in an update expected in 2023. It appears that the legs functionality has now made its way into the Horizon Worlds app, following a test version update introduced in Quest Home space.