Meta’s Horizon Metaverse Avatars Embrace a More Realistic Appearance

Meta, the VR company behind Meta Avatars, has made a significant update to its Horizon Worlds “metaverse” platform. The eagerly awaited addition of legs to the avatars has finally arrived. The previous version of Meta Avatars SDK, which third-party apps such as GOLF+ and Eleven Table Tennis relied on, did not include the desired leg feature. However, with the release of version 24, Meta has addressed this issue by adding legs to the avatars in its metaverse environment.

In addition to the introduction of virtual legs, Meta has also enhanced the overall graphics quality of the avatars. The updated SDK, now available on the Unity Asset Store, offers improvements such as more lifelike eye glints and more detailed hair and clothing textures using normal maps. Remarkably, these graphical enhancements do not hamper performance thanks to Meta’s new optimizations, including the Compute Skinner.

While users can now enjoy avatars with realistic appearances in the Horizon Worlds metaverse, the availability of legs in third-party apps such as GOLF+ and Eleven Table Tennis remains uncertain. The developers of these popular games have not yet confirmed their plans to incorporate the leg feature into their respective applications. With the holiday period well underway, it is unlikely that work on integrating legs into these games will begin until the new year.

Meta’s decision to update the Meta Avatars SDK and introduce legs to its metaverse platform represents an important step towards more immersive virtual experiences. By addressing the criticisms surrounding their upper-body-only avatars, Meta aims to create a truly realistic and engaging virtual environment for users to explore.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


1. What is Meta Avatars?
Meta Avatars is a VR company that offers avatars for users to use in virtual environments.

2. What is the Horizon Worlds metaverse platform?
Horizon Worlds is Meta’s metaverse platform where users can explore virtual environments using avatars.

3. What update did Meta make to its Horizon Worlds platform?
Meta added legs to the avatars in its Horizon Worlds platform with the release of version 24 of the Meta Avatars SDK.

4. What improvements were made to the avatars?
The updated SDK offers improvements such as more realistic eye glints and more detailed hair and clothing textures using normal maps.

5. Do third-party apps have access to the leg feature?
The availability of legs in third-party apps is uncertain. The developers of apps like GOLF+ and Eleven Table Tennis have not confirmed if they plan to incorporate the leg feature.

6. When will the integration of legs into third-party apps begin?
Integration of legs into third-party apps like GOLF+ and Eleven Table Tennis is unlikely to begin until the new year.

Key Terms and Definitions:

1. Meta Avatars SDK: Software Development Kit provided by Meta that allows developers to create and customize avatars for use in virtual environments.

2. Metaverse: A virtual reality space where users can interact with each other and their surroundings.

3. Avatars: Digital representations of users in virtual environments. They can be customized to resemble the user or take on different forms.

4. Unity Asset Store: An online marketplace where developers can buy and sell assets, tools, and resources for Unity, a popular game development platform.

5. Compute Skinner: A feature introduced by Meta that optimizes the performance of avatars with improved graphics quality.

Suggested Related Links:

1. Meta Official Website
2. Unity