The Metaverse, and Meta as a whole, have been making some headlines lately. From graphics blunders, to a change in leadership, let’s take a look at the some of the recent stories.
VP Steps Down
The Vice President of Meta Platforms Inc., Vivek Sharma, is leaving the company according to a Meta Spokesperson. As VP of Meta Platforms Inc., Sharma oversaw its major product: Horizon.
Horizon Worlds is one of the major endeavors for Meta and is spearheading the creation of the metaverse. The other two major portions of Horizon, Workrooms and Venues, are finding their footing as well.
A Meta Spokesperson said, “Thanks to his leadership, the Horizon product group has built a strong team with an ambitious vision, and it is just getting started. Meta continues to be a source for developing great leaders, and we’re excited to see what Vivek accomplishes in his next chapter.” For now, an interim replacement will be the Vice President of Metaverse, Vishal Shah.
It hasn’t been officially stated exactly why Sharma is stepping down (other than that he is taking a new opportunity). Although, some have claimed that recent criticism of Meta’s graphics may have played a part.
Zuckerberg’s Avatar
Recently, Mark Zuckerberg released a screenshot from inside the Metaverse. If you have been paying any attention to tech news or recent memes, you’ve probably seen it (pictured above left). A few days later, he released an “upgraded” version of the avatar with enhanced graphics (pictured above right). However, the damage may have already been done.
These images have become, in essence, the central argument against the metaverse, as it is now. With $10 billion funneled into its Reality Labs division last year, and another $5.7 billion in the first six months of 2022, people are starting to ask questions. The avatar issue is now putting a face to it, pun intended.
The main question on people’s mind is: What does Meta have to show for all that money? The answer isn’t really as simple as we’d like. The truth is, the metaverse is an unprecedented creation. Meaning, no one has ever done it before, and so no one knows what it will take. Does this mean Meta should have free reign to sink however much money they want into it? It’s not for me to say. Ultimately, it will be up to the shareholders and CEOs that are investing into it.
I will say that I do believe that the metaverse has the potential to change the way we live for the better. However, the public’s disappointment in the current state of it is easily felt. Hopefully, with the tease of a new headset to be announced in October, we will start to see some significant improvements.
