Meta Avatars come to life: Major graphics update coming next week
Meta is rolling out a major graphical update to its avatars next week, promising more customization options, detail, and expressiveness.
At Meta Connect 2024, Meta announced not only the new Quest 3S VR headset, but also a new avatar system that will offer graphically more sophisticated models starting October 1.
According to Meta, there will be more customization options. These will now include details such as eye size, nose shape, body shape, and more. The movements and expressions of the avatars will also be much more lifelike than before.
To achieve this, Meta has overhauled the entire avatar system. In the future, developers will have access to a more detailed avatar skeleton, which will give them greater control over avatar movements and expressions.
In the course of next year, Meta wants to make it possible to use generative AI to generate new outfits through text input.
You can use the new avatars in Meta's own VR apps Horizon Home, Horizon Worlds, and Horizon Workrooms, as well as in some third-party VR and mixed reality apps like GOLF+ and Eleven Table Tennis. Integrations with Facebook, Instagram and soon WhatsApp are also available.
Video: Meta
Evidence of new avatars since June
Back in June, VR enthusiast Luna discovered evidence that Meta was working on new avatars. Mark Zuckerberg announced much fancier avatars back at Meta Connect 2022 with a graphic interlude. However, the planned launch in 2023 came to nothing. Instead, the Meta Avatars only got legs, and only in the home environment and Horizon Worlds.
In addition to the avatars, Meta also announced the Quest 3S budget VR headset bundled with Batman: Arkham Shadow and new features for the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses at this year's Connect. Meta also showed a real AR glasses prototype for the first time.
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