Meta has released new updates for its social VR platform, Horizon Worlds. The company plans to make the metaverse more engaging with a new game engine and AI-powered tools. These steps demonstrate that Meta has not abandoned its metaverse vision despite the multi-billion dollar loss its Reality Labs unit has incurred.

The Metaverse May Make a Comeback

The newly announced Meta Horizon Studio makes it easier for content creators to create virtual worlds. Thanks to generative AI tools, elements like texture and sound design can now be created more quickly and intuitively on the platform.

Later in the year, an AI assistant will be integrated into the editor, guiding developers as they design new worlds and adjust the properties of AI-powered NPCs. This feature will allow them to create more complex and interactive VR experiences.

The new Horizon Engine, which underpins Horizon Worlds, offers better graphics and faster performance. According to Meta, this new engine makes VR worlds more advanced.

One of the most notable innovations is the increased number of users who can interact in a single space simultaneously. More than 100 people can now gather in the same space, five times the number supported in the previous engine.

Meta continues to incur significant costs to expand its metaverse vision. Its Reality Labs unit hasn’t turned a profit since the last quarter of 2020, with cumulative losses reaching $70 billion.

To address this situation and grow the metaverse ecosystem, the company established a $50 million fund earlier this year to incentivize content creation. These investments demonstrate Meta’s commitment to bringing the metaverse to a wider audience.