The metaverse is approaching — not quite yet, and not for a long time, but it is coming, and Meta is eager to take control of the next stage and ensure that it remains important in future iterations of the web as we know it, as the name suggests.
Last week, Meta announced an update to its 3D avatar creation process on Facebook and Messenger, as well as the ability to use unique avatars in Instagram Stories and DMs.
Meta’s new 3D avatars have more sophisticated features and customization options. The company is also introducing more inclusive customization features, such as Cochlear implants, hearing aids, and wheelchairs, allowing more users to represent themselves in its apps.
Since 2019, Meta has enabled 3D avatars as a feature in its primary app, allowing users to build a digital representation of themselves that can then be used in stickers, posts, replies, and other places. While some people got used to these characters, they haven’t taken off in a big way. Meta will be aiming to change that with this new expansion, which will also allow Instagram users to design their virtual self, as previously said.
As a result, new options for sponsored content will emerge. For example, you can dress your Avatar to support one of the two Super Bowl LVI candidates from now until February 28th, or you can choose a neutral Super Bowl LVI shirt if you can’t decide.
To the next generation of consumers, buying a new look for your avatar is second nature, and it is these consumers that are likely to encourage the metaverse transition, with Meta stating repeatedly that the broader metaverse vision will take several years, if not a decade or more, to begin to form.
