The app is currently only available in the US and Canada (Getty Images)
Meta, the parent company of the social networking sites Facebook, Instagram and the messaging app WhatsApp, has released the first official app for Project Metaverse , which will allow people to meet and interact in a fully virtual environment.
The Horizon Worlds app is the first step in Mark Zuckerberg's master plan to invent the next version of the Internet.
Currently, the app is only available in the US and Canada and requires a Quest 2 VR headset to try. Those who can participate are allowed to gather together, play games and build their own worlds within the Metaverse universe.
The app took two years to develop and is available for free download if users have the right hardware. It was originally designed to be compatible with the first Oculus headphones.
Announcing the app, Meta said: “Horizon Worlds is a virtual reality social experience where the user can create and explore. Since launching as a beta only last year, we have been amazed by the community that started to form and inspired by the unique experiences created.”
"Our vision for Horizon World is to develop the VR space with best-in-class tools for content creators," she added.
So far, Metaverse is limited to virtual gaming platforms, but companies like Meta are planning to integrate it into our lives just as they have done with social media.
As the spread of COVID-19 has accelerated the use of virtual meeting spaces for work and leisure, plans for Project Metaverse do not seem to be ruled out yet.
outlined his plans to create Metaverse in July. The term "metaverse" refers to digital worlds in which multiple people can interact in a three-dimensional environment.
Major tech companies, such as Microsoft, Roblox and Epic Games, are investing in creating their own versions of Metaverse.