Meta Rolls Out More Inclusive VR Avatars
The company formerly known as Facebook is "adding new facial shapes and assistive devices for people with disabilities" to VR avatars on several of its services.
Meta says that Facebook users in the US, Canada, and Mexico "can show up as their virtual self across apps via stickers, feed posts, Facebook profile pictures and more," starting today. The company is also rolling out the VR avatars to Instagram for the first time via Stories and DMs.
It seems that everything related to VR must be connected to the so-called metaverse—from which the company took its new moniker—as well. Meta says in the announcement: "VR and Quest are key parts of our metaverse vision, but we see the metaverse as an interconnected digital world, one that bridges VR and AR, in addition to more familiar platforms like your phone and computer. Rolling out avatars across our platforms is an early step towards making this a reality. We hope your new virtual self enables you to be represented online the way you want — whether that’s to friends and family, your local community or beyond."
Meta says today's update introduces Cochlear implants, over-the-ear hearing aids, and wheelchairs for VR avatars. (Not all of the assistive devices can be used in all places on all of its platforms, though, and Meta offers more details in its announcement.)
The company says it's also "subtly adjusted certain facial shapes and tweaked our skin shaders to make your avatar more authentically you" and will "continue to add new items to the Avatar editor" throughout 2022. It's also shared this before-and-after of an avatar with the changes:
Meta is celebrating the Super Bowl, too, by introducing the ability to adorn these VR avatars with jerseys supporting the Cincinnati
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