At this year's Connect conference, Meta once again strengthened its Metaverse development blueprint. Through AI technology and a new tool set, it will make the virtual world more realistic, interactive and immersive, further shortening the distance from creation to participation.
Meta's redesigned Horizon Engine serves as the foundational architecture for realizing the Metaverse's vision. Built from the ground up and continuously optimized, it delivers more detailed graphical performance and more efficient computing power. Combined with the concurrently launched Meta Horizon Studio creative center and editor, developers and creators can quickly generate 3D models, textures, TypeScript code, music, and even skyboxes with simple commands, significantly shortening the creative process. Future plans include the introduction of an AI assistant with autonomous judgment capabilities to automatically integrate tools and optimize scenes, making the creative process more intuitive and faster.
With this update, Meta Horizon Studio can now support over 100 simultaneous players in a single scene, a fivefold increase compared to the previous version. Whether hosting a large-scale concert or exploring new worlds with friends in Horizon Central, you can enjoy a smoother multiplayer experience.
Meta also officially launched the early access version of Hyperscape Capture. Users only need to spend a few minutes scanning the room with the Quest device to convert the physical space into a highly realistic and exclusive virtual scene. This continues the Gaussian Splatting and cloud streaming technology demonstrated at last year's Connect, further realizing a personalized "digital clone" space.
In terms of content, Meta continues to increase its investment in the VR entertainment ecosystem, and this fall will usher in a number of heavyweight games, including "Marvel's Deadpool VR", ILM's "Star Wars: Beyond Victory", Resolution Games' "Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked", and nDreams Elevation's "Reach".
The latest version of Horizon OS (v79) adds a new entertainment center, Meta Horizon TV, which provides movies, TV shows, sports events, music streaming, and other content. It also solves the "black border" problem of the past, allowing content to be displayed in the correct proportions, presenting the best viewing experience as the director's original intention.
In addition, content from streaming video platforms such as Disney+, ESPN, and Hulu will be available on Horizon TV. Meta has also partnered with Universal Pictures and Blumhouse to launch an immersive horror film experience. It has also teamed up with James Cameron's Lightstorm Vision to exclusively broadcast a 3D clip of "Avatar: Fire and Ashes" on Horizon TV, and plans to release the entire 3D version of the movie in the future.
Meta emphasizes that next-generation computing platforms will combine VR, AI, and AR to deliver even more powerful, immersive, and interactive experiences. AI glasses will become a "superpower" in everyday life, allowing users to stay focused while accessing real-time information. AR glasses will overlay digital content onto the real world, bringing new experiences and adventures to life.
