Zuckerberg criticized for primitive virtual reality graphics in Meta

Meta’s new metaverse game Horizon Worlds, which was launched this week in France and Spain, has caused a storm of outrage among users. The game, available through Meta’s Oculus VR headset, was criticized for graphics that «look like a video game from the late 90s and early 2000s.» A screenshot widely circulated on social media shows a digital avatar of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg against the backdrop of the virtual Eiffel Tower and what is supposed to be the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona.

Experts believe that the main culprit behind the primitive graphics is the Oculus VR headset, which is limited in power and cannot render complex graphics like, say, the PlayStation 5. Critics also drew attention to the lack of a lower body in Horizon Worlds avatars.

In response to the criticism, Zuckerberg assured that despite the limited power of the headset, major graphical updates are being prepared. However, it will take some time.

As a reminder, Horizon Worlds allows users to immerse themselves in virtual reality, where they can move around in metaverse created by other players. Since 2020, the program has been available to users in the form of a closed beta version, which could be accessed only by invitation. Last December, Meta launched Horizon Worlds for users in the US and Canada, and this year it opened the platform to customers in the UK, Ireland, and Iceland.