Facebook Horizon for Windows

Explore the VR World In Facebook’s Online Sim Game

Facebook Horizon is a virtual reality social media platform that acts as both a hub for simulation games and online chatting. A product of Facebook, Horizon is the upgraded version of Facebook Spaces and Oculus Rooms, wherein you now get to play in a VR sandbox universe and create your own fun activities or try others’. This massively multiplayer world is similar to the online simulation game Second Life and the Oasis of the book and film Ready Player One—promising to be a new avenue of ways to make new friends and enjoy new experiences with a creative community online.

The Future is Here

Virtual reality has long been in practice with digital educational materials. It is quickly becoming a staple in the gaming industry, especially with the rise of VR goggles and machines that can either be bought for personal use or be rented for a few hours in a specialized VR arcade store. The Oculus Rift headset is one such example of VR equipment that people can play. Thus, eventually, VR gaming would become a feature in some video games—including online multiplayer games. One platform that completely uses VR is VRChat, a free-to-play massively multiplayer online virtual reality social platform wherein you can don 3D avatar models of whatever kind and interact with other players in theme-specific virtual worlds. Facebook Horizon works the same but seems to offer more. 

Facebook’s Joining the Trend

Facebook had already released two social VR experiences called Facebook Spaces—wherein you can chat, watch movies and take VR selfies with your friends—and Oculus Rooms—wherein you can create a custom VR private apartment for yourself. However, the two didn’t offer much else and were mainly for friends meeting up. Things will expand in Horizon, however, as you can now create virtual worlds and games of your own design, letting others try it out for themselves. Horizon mostly acts as a fusion of VRChat and Second Life, but the whole aesthetic of the place looks like 3D cartoons from Disney. You can create cute avatars similar to your real-life appearance or wear some quirky clothes. Then you can start creating and designing activities that can either be a full-on huge environmental puzzle or just a space you’ve decorated yourself. 

Your New FB Space

Horizon seems to be the next biggest thing for Facebook in terms of social media VR but compared to VRChat and even Second Life, it doesn’t seem to have much of a difference or improvement that could make a seasoned online VR player want to stay for long on it. The ability to design the environment is a tempting offer but it may be limited by the 3D shapes Horizon’s whole aesthetic relies on—meaning that if you want advanced-looking designs, you’ll have to go deep into the code. Horizon is meant for the non-techy player, however, so if you’re feeling bored with Facebook’s usual stuff, give this one a try.