Mark Zuckerberg: “Metaverse is Happening Sooner Than I Thought”

In his controversial guest spot on the most popular podcast in the world, Mark Zuckerberg said the Metaverse might be coming sooner than he thought.

Over the last two years, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook and CEO of Meta, and Joe Rogan, comedian, actor, and host of the Joe Rogan Experience, the most listened to podcast on the Internet, both saw their share of controversies.

So when the two sat down to record an episode of Joe Rogan Experience, it was sure to be an interesting conversation. And indeed, it was. Besides discussing the FBI and Facebook’s censorship, they also talked about Zuckerberg’s main project – Metaverse.

The Metaverse is here. Well, technically. While we still don’t have a perfect VR world like in Ready Player One, many people are already living parts of their lives in virtual reality.

This is according to Mark Zuckerberg, who said on the Joe Rogan Experience that the Metaverse is “happening sooner than I thought.” He believes that people buying virtual reality headsets and spending time in VR are already living in the Metaverse.

To a certain extent, at least.

He mentioned the Peloton room bikes with displays where one can watch lessons and compete with others. He said that these users are a part of the Metaverse because they’re “using computer-generated graphics and interaction” to connect with others.

The VR Evolution is Unfolding Similar to PCs

One thing that many people tend to critique about the current state of VR is that it feels quite primitive. We’re not at the point where we can have realistic-looking humans in VR or where we can have perfectly functioning virtual reality cities.

Zuckerberg acknowledges this but points out that the VR evolution is unfolding similarly to how PCs did. He says that, at first, VR will be mostly used by “gamers and other early adopters.”

Then, once the hardware and software improve, they will be used more by mainstream users who want to “socialize in new ways.” Zuckerberg sees fitness apps, like the aforementioned Peloton, as the third and final step in the evolution of VR.

That is because these apps connect people not through screens or keyboards but through physical movement.

The Next Big Computing Platform

So will the Metaverse be similar to a game? Is it a simulation that allows us to loosen up a bit and have fun after work? Or is it something more? Mark Zuckerberg believes the Metaverse will be the “next big computing platform.”

Zuckerberg talked about this at VivaTech last year. He said that people would use VR to work, shop, and socialize, just like how we use computers and smartphones today.

And just like how we have apps on our phones, there will be VR apps in the Metaverse. Although Meta executives admitted that it could take up to 15 years for the Metaverse to become a reality, it’s clear that they are putting a lot of thought into it.

Zuckerberg is confident that the Metaverse will happen. He’s putting his money where his mouth is by investing billions of dollars into the technology.