Facebook’s 3D social metaverse will be partly built in Europe

Facebook will be building its metaverse out of Europe — at least in part. The matter announced in a blog post Monday that it will be employing around 10,000 people from within the EU to fill highly skilled roles toiling on Horizon Worlds, a 3D virtual play space, over the next five years.

The idea of a metaverse — a computer-generated environment where farmland can interact with each other using AR, VR and latest technologies — is something Facebook has been discussing real it acquired virtual reality headset maker Oculus in 2014. Creation out the metaverse is of interest to many substantial tech companies, with developers comparing it to the internet in periods of openness and interoperability. And just as with the internet, individual companies want to ensure they’re creating their own bespoke possesses to take advantage of it.

Facebook’s metaverse project is composed in its early stages of development, but earlier this month the matter talked openly about its plans for a $10 million creator fund to fine developers to work on building out the project, comprising building entertainment spaces and games for the Horizon Worlds app.

In its blog post on Monday, Nick Clegg, Facebook’s vice president of global affairs, and Javier Olivan, vice president of central products, said that Europe is an important hub for developing its metaverse because of the region’s talent, as well as its leadership on regulatory issues, comprising the introduction of the Digital Single Market. 

“As we beginning the journey of bringing the metaverse to life, the need for highly specialized engineers is one of Facebook’s most pressing priorities,” they said. “We look up to working with governments across the EU to find the lustrous people and the right markets to take this up, as part of an upcoming recruitment drive across the region.”