Meta’s Hyperscape is ready to turn your real living room into a VR hangout
Meta is taking a significant step towards enhancing social interaction in virtual reality with its latest rollout of the Hyperscape feature, which allows users to share photorealistic digital replicas of real-world spaces. Previously, users could only explore these meticulously scanned environments, created using the advanced capture technology of the Quest 3 and Quest 3S VR headsets, in solitude. Now, with the introduction of shareable links, up to eight users can join a single instance of a Hyperscape world, making it possible to invite friends to experience the digital versions of familiar or iconic spaces, such as one’s own home or even Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen. This new capability marks a pivotal shift in Meta’s vision for the metaverse, emphasizing not only immersive gaming experiences but also meaningful social interactions within realistic digital environments.
As Meta rolls out this feature gradually over the coming months, users are encouraged to be patient if they do not see the option available immediately. Once it becomes accessible, users will need to rescan their chosen spaces to create a shareable version of their Hyperscape world. In addition to the ability to invite friends, Meta is also implementing on-device rendering and enhancing audio capabilities within these digital environments, further enriching the user experience. According to Meta, the goal is to create a vibrant mix of experiences in the metaverse, allowing users to alternate between fantastical adventures and intimate gatherings in familiar settings. By fostering social connections in these hyper-realistic spaces, Meta aims to make virtual interactions more meaningful and enjoyable, paving the way for a future where creators can blend various styles and approaches to enrich the metaverse landscape.
For those curious about the quality of these digital replicas, early demonstrations have showcased stunning detail, comparable to real-life settings. Users can find a glimpse of this impressive technology in various online videos, illustrating the potential of Hyperscape to transform how we connect and experience shared spaces in virtual reality. As Meta continues to refine and expand its offerings, the anticipation for what creators will bring to the metaverse only grows, promising a dynamic and engaging future for digital interactions.
Meta’s impressive, photorealistic digital replicas of real places built using its “Hyperscape” capture tech, which uses the cameras on a Quest 3 or Quest 3S VR headset to scan a room, have so far been solitary spaces. If you wanted to visit a virtual version of a room in your house (or of Gordon Ramsay’s home kitchen), you could only do it on your own. But beginning this week, Meta is rolling out the ability to share links that will let other people visit Hyperscape rooms with you in a Quest 3 or 3S VR headset or via the Meta Horizon mobile app.
Up to eight people will be able to be in one instance of a Hyperscape world,
according to a Meta blog post
, and it hopes to increase that number in the future. Meta is also “moving rendering on-device” and adding audio to Hyperscape worlds.
However, you might be waiting a bit to be able to actually be able to invite your friends to a space. Meta’s blog post urges readers to “please sit tight” if they don’t have the feature yet, and Meta spokesperson Rachel Holm says it will roll out “gradually to all users over the next few months.” And according to Holm, once the feature rolls out to you, you’ll have to rescan a space to be able to create a shareable world.
The feature is all part of Meta’s vision of a metaverse that includes both digital real-world spaces as well as games. According to Meta:
As the metaverse continues to take shape, we think a vibrant mix of experiences is key. Some days you might want to immerse yourself in an otherworldly adventure, which is where our vast library of VR apps and worlds comes into play. And other days, you might want to visit a digital replica of a physical space you might not have the opportunity to see otherwise. Or you might want to spend quality time with friends someplace a little closer to home. That’s what Hyperscape makes possible. By bringing you together in realistic digital replicas of physical spaces with the people who matter most, Hyperscape can make your experiences in the metaverse more meaningful
and
fun. In the future, we’re excited to see what creators build by mixing styles and approaches.
I visited some rooms scanned with the Hyperscape Capture app
earlier this year
, and I was impressed with how good they looked. If you want an idea what they’re like, check out
this YouTube
video; the level of detail is similar to what I saw in my own demos.
Update, November 20th
: Added that you’ll have to rescan a room to be able to invite people to it.
