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Singer Jewel Is Offering Mental Health Support In VR

From vrscout

Mental health support is just a headset away.

Do you remember Jewel, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter who graced us with such memorable songs as “Who Will Save Your Soul” and “You Were Meant For Me”? Well, she’s back, and she’s dishing out some much-needed mental health support to the VR community.

Recently, the multiplatinum music artist appeared on the news show CUOMO to chat about Innerworld, a VR metaverse she co-founded that offers evidence-based mental health tools and peer-to-peer support to those struggling with various mental complications, from anxiety and depression to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).



The platform offers a variety of beneficial resources and is monitored by a team of human operators as well as an artificial intelligence (AI) system that keeps a lookout for keywords that may indicate immediate self-harm.

“What I’ve done in the Foundation for the past 20 years is a peer-to-peer model, and we actually see a lot more profound results than one-on-one,” said Jewel. “I think psychotherapy is great, but it isn’t something everybody has access to. And meditation is incredibly important and there are so many great meditation apps out there but what I’ve learned is that meditation puts you in position to change, but then you need behavioral tools to start to change actual habits.”

Credit: Innerworld

“I had been tasking myself to come up with solutions that were genuinely scalable. And for me, VR was really where I was focusing,” she added. “We have a lot of people who use this as a supplement to their therapeutic work and we have people who don’t have access to therapeutic or other traditional service. They are getting incredible results, and there are people from all over the world—which is what’s so amazing about VR.”

Innerworld is available for free in VR on Meta Quest, PC, and iOS devices. For more information visit inner.world.

Feature Image Credit: Henry Laurisch

Ristband Returns To SXSW With Its Music Metaverse

From vrscout

The party returns on March 12th live via the metaverse.

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festival draws everything from up-and-coming music artists and interactive media companies to forward-thinking startups and various other cutting-edge technologies.  

One of the companies featured this year is Ristband which will once again be hosting its Music Metaverse, a virtual event that combines the energy of live music with VR technology. Performing at the event will be the UK-based “collective,” Miro Shot.

Credit: Ristband

During SXSW 2022, I talked with Roman Rappak, CEO of Ristband and singer for Miro Shot, who told me how he was influenced by bands such as Kraftwerk and how they embraced “weird technology that was broken and hard to use and made music with it.”

This year, Miro Shot will be returning to SXW and will be presenting a completely revamped version of their concert, which will feature brand-new music and the latest in XR technology.

“With SXSW’s international reputation as a festival supporting emerging culture and technology under one roof, we are excited to have the opportunity to extend the festival in the metaverse with the true pioneers of this new digital era: the artists who are the driving force of this movement,” said Anne McKinnon, CEO of Ristband.

Anne McKinnon / Credit: Ristband
Roman Rappak / Credit: Ristband

This year’s Music Metaverse showcase promises attendees an unforgettable experience that will expand the magic of SXSW.  Ristband’s official Music Metaverse event will answer questions such as how the metaverse will impact the live music industry and how contemporary artists are using AR/VR as well as the metaverse to reach new audiences. Along with the performance, Ristband’s event will feature a variety of discussions about how the metaverse will affect the industry.

Last year, Miro Shot used older Android devices to drop attendees into a VR environment that reacted with the band’s instruments as they played live. This year, Miro Shot partnered with HTC VIVE to immerse their audiences in a virtual world using HTC’s new all-in-one headset, the VIVE XR Elite.

Credit: Ristband

“Live music and physical events are at the heart of music culture, while at the same time, exciting new tools that can extend our concert into VR and a gaming platform like Ristband have had an incredibly powerful effect on the reach of our band,” said Rappak.

To attend the event, individuals must be 21+ and have an SXSW festival pass. The event will be held at The Venue ATX, which is a 5-minute walk away from the Convention Center. Oh, and you’ll have to RSVP!

Feature Image Credit: Ristband

Report: Meta to Open ‘Horizon Worlds’ to Younger Teens Amid Renewed Retention Push

From roadtovr

Meta’s social VR app for Quest, Horizon Worlds, is lagging behind the competition when it comes to attracting and retaining VR users. According to a leaked memo obtained by The Wall Street Journal, the company is now ostensibly looking to boost numbers by more transparently appealing to younger teens in addition to funding a slew of new second-party content.

WSJ only posted snippets of the memo, entitled ‘Horizon 2023 Goals and Strategy’, which was allegedly written by Meta Vice President of Horizon Gabriel Aul. The memo is said to outline the team’s objectives for the first half of 2023.

Here’s some highlights we formatted into a bulleted list, which also includes additional info supplied by a source cited by WSJ:

  • Competitors are outperforming HW. Improving user retention is most important, especially among teens and young adults
  • HW to open to teens aged 13 to 17, which could come as early as March
  • Meta is working with outside studios to build new worlds and experiences for HW
  • The team is aiming to launch at least 20 new Horizon-hosted experiences built by second-party studios. Of the 20, it’s hoping for five medium hits and at least one a major hit
  • The flatscreen version of Horizon for mobile and desktops is set to come sometime in H1 2023

Additionally, WSJ reports the memo outlined some key performance metrics, claiming Horizon Worlds’ weekly retention rate was 11% in January, which the company aims to increase to 20%. The goal for monthly active users for the first half of 2023 is said to be 500,000, with hopes of reaching one million for the full year. Currently the platform is at 200,000, or just below the December peak, the reported memo outlines.

The previously reported flatscreen version, which is said to launch by the end of the first half of 2023, is hoping to achieve 150,000 monthly cross-screen Horizon users.

Meta’s Quest 2 headset is technically only available to users aged 13 and up. Horizon Worlds on the other hand has been limited to users 18+ since it was launched in 2021, and only to those in US, Canada, UK, France, Iceland, Ireland and Spain.

While none of this seems to have hindered children below 13 from playing all the Quest 2 has to offer, Horizon Worlds included. More transparently appealing to young teens though will likely come with a host of safety requirements that the company needs to fulfil for liability reasons.

Meta issued a response to WSJ, supporting in part its move to focus on teens:

“Teens are already spending time in a variety of VR experiences on Quest,” Meta spokesman Joe Osborne told WSJ, “and we want to ensure that we can provide them with a great experience in Horizon Worlds as well, with age-appropriate tools and protections in place.”

This comes hot on the heels of Meta reducing its workforce by 13% late last year, one of the biggest tech layoffs in recent memory, which saw 11,000 jobs cut from payroll.

Meanwhile, the company’s Reality Labs XR division has dramatically increased its operating budget in an ostensible bid to maintain market dominance over similar metaverse pushes from the likes of Apple, Google, etc. At the same time, Meta has slashed some XR projects, including first-party title Echo VR.

Provided the report is true, it appears Meta is making another important step towards competing more directly with cross-platform social gaming titans like Roblox and Rec Room. 

Horizon Worlds VR Metaverse Coming To Web & Mobile

From vrscout

Meta has also begun testing “members-only worlds” featuring exclusive content.

Meta this week announced that it has given a select group of users the ability to grow and moderate their own communities by creating “members-only worlds.” These closed spaces feature exclusive VR content accessible by a hand-picked group of Horizon Worlds users.

According to an official press release, creators can invite up to 150 members to each world as part of the alpha test. Each members-only world can support up to 25 concurrent visitors at one time. Here users can engage in a variety of multiplayer activities, such as organizing a book club, attending a support group, meeting up with friends and family, and more.

Credit: Meta

“Every community develops its own norms, etiquette, and social rules over time as it fosters a unique culture. To enable that, we’ll provide the tools that allow the creators of members-only worlds to set the rules for their communities and maintain those rules for their closed spaces,” said the company in an official release.

“Creators can choose whether or not to share their moderation responsibilities with other trusted group members and decide if they’ll allow members to visit the world without a creator or moderator present,” they added. “Everyone will always have the ability to report worlds to Meta and report others for behavior that violates our Code of Conduct for Virtual Experiences.”

Credit: Meta

In addition to members-only worlds, Horizon Worlds will also be expanding to additional platforms beyond VR. Meta’s social VR metaverse will soon be available on the web as well as mobile devices, allowing those without a Quest 2 or Quest Pro VR headset the ability to jump into the action.

As previously mentioned, Meta is partnering with a select group of Horizon Worlds users as part of the ongoing alpha test. This test is designed to confirm that creators have the tools required to properly moderate and grow their members-only worlds.

For more information check out the official release here.

Image Credit: Meta

Biggie VR Concert Will Feature ‘Hyper-Realistic’ Avatar

From vrscout

With guest performances by Sean “Diddy” Combs, The Lox, and more.

Meta today announced the latest in its series of immersive VR concerts, The Notorious B.I.G. Sky’s The Limit: A VR Concert Experience. Coming next month to Horizon Worlds, the one-of-a-kind show will bring the late Brooklyn rapper to life like never before in celebration of what would have been his 50th birthday.

Credit: Meta

On December 16th, those with a Meta Quest 2 or Meta Quest Pro headset can log in to Horizon Worlds, Meta’s social VR metaverse, to catch an immersive VR concert featuring a “hyper-realistic avatar” of the late great rapper along with guest performances by Sean “Diddy” Combs, The Lox, Latto, Nardo Wick, Lil’ Cease, DJ Clark Kent, and more.

The experience will also feature a narrative portion, during which you’ll learn more about the life of the hip-hop legend. Written and voiced by American writer and music journalist Touré, this eye-opening journey will take you through The Brook, a virtual recreation of ’90s Brooklyn.

Credit: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

When asked how the project came to be, Touré said, “I’ve worked with producer Alex Coletti on several projects over many years and I also interviewed Biggie several times, so Alex thought I could be helpful at bringing this to life.”

“We wanted to create a concert that had other aspects to it, so it was on me to figure out a pre-concert scene and a post-concert scene. It was a lot of fun trying to imagine what Big would be like and what he might be doing if he were still with us today.”



“It’s very exciting to be able to give people immersive experiences, so if VR can develop to the point where I can be at home but have the feeling of being in the front row of a concert and really feel like I’m there, that would be a really exciting opportunity,” he added.

 The Notorious B.I.G. Sky’s The Limit: A VR Concert Experience will kick off on December 16th in Horizon Worlds, available free on Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro. A 2D version of the show will be available to view on-demand via the official Notorious B.I.G. Facebook page.

For more information visit here.

Image Credit: Burst Live

Cheetos Unveils Digital Neighborhood In Horizon Worlds

From vrscout

Enter the Cheetoverse.

Cheetos has partnered with Meta to launch Chesterville, a digital suburban neighborhood, inside the Horizon Worlds metaverse. Here you can participate in a variety of Halloween-themed activities alongside friends and strangers in VR to build up your “mischief meter” and gain access to the spooky mansion located at the top of the hill.

There are a couple of different ways to cause mischief. You can grab Chester the Cheetah’s Wand and brand the neighborhood with the Cheetos logo, TP trees (or your friends) with “Cheetle-fied” Paper Towels, trap fellow players in Cheetos Mac ‘N Cheese, or snack on some Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to unlock a speed boost. You can also gain access to the mansion by collecting skeleton bones scattered around the world and assembling them in the graveyard.

“As a culture-first brand committed to innovative consumer experiences, Cheetos is proud to lead Frito-Lay into the metaverse,” said Stacy Taffet, senior vice president of marketing for Frito-Lay.

“This is a significant moment for both the brand and the portfolio as we broaden the ways we engage with fans, inviting them to experience Cheetos inan entirely new way. We can’t wait to welcome consumers into Chester’s virtual domain that brings his personality and Cheetos’ brand ethos to life.”

Once you’ve maxed out your mischief meter the front gates will open and you’ll be permitted to enter the mansion where you can vote to “resurrect” one of three discontinued Cheetos flavors: Flamin’ Hot Chipotle Ranch, Flamin’ Hot Pepper Puffs, or Nashville Hot. You’ll also receive a Halloween-themed mask you can wear around Chesterville to prove you’re a true mischief maker.

“Forward-thinking brands are beginning to build immersive experiences and we’re thrilled that Cheetos is leading the pack with their launch of Chesterville, their first-ever virtual reality experience in Meta Horizon Worlds,” added Nada Stirratt, vice president, global business group at Meta.

“It’s exciting to see such an iconic brand use our platforms to experiment and connect with consumers in new, innovative ways. We can’t wait to see how users everywhere embrace their inner Chester Cheetah this Halloween and beyond.”

Chesterville is just the latest in a series of brand-themed Horizon Worlds locations developed in collaboration with companies. In the past, we’ve covered everything from the Wendyverse and NOPE World to the Stratoverse and NBA Lane.

Horizon Worlds is available for free on Meta Quest 2.

Image Credit: Cheetos

Interpol Unveils Its Global Police Metaverse

From vrscout

Registered users can meet up with officers online, take immersive training courses, and more.

We’ve seen VR technology used by law enforcement in a variety of unique and interesting ways, from de-escalation education to nonlethal weapons training. Now even the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) is taking advantage of immersive technology.

Announced during the 90th INTERPOL General Assembly in New Delhi, the INTERPOL Metaverse is a “global police metaverse” that allows registered users to connect with officers around the world in a virtual recreation of the INTERPOL General Secretariat headquarters. Visitors can also expand their knowledge by attending immersive training courses that cover a variety of policing topics, including forensic investigation.



“For many, the Metaverse seems to herald an abstract future, but the issues it raises are those that have always motivated INTERPOL – supporting our member countries to fight crime and making the world, virtual or not, safer for those who inhabit it,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock in an official release. “We may be entering a new world, but our commitment remains the same.”

INTERPOL put its global police metaverse to the test during a live demonstration in which a group students underwent a training course led by experts from the INTERPOL Capacity Building and Training Directorate. Following a presentation on travel document verification and passenger screening, students were tasked with manning a virtual control point at a simulation airport.

“The Metaverse has the potential to transform every aspect of our daily lives with enormous implications for law enforcement,” added Mr Oberoi, INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Technology and Innovation. “But in order for police to understand the Metaverse, we need to experience it.”

According to The World Economic Forum, the metaverse landscape in its current form is suseptible to all manner of threats, from social engineering scams and violent extremism to rampant misinformation.

“By identifying these risks from the outset, we can work with stakeholders to shape the necessary governance frameworks and cut off future criminal markets before they are fully formed,” said Madan Oberoi, INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Technology and Innovation. “Only by having these conversations now can we build an effective response.”

For more information check out the INTERPOL’s full report here.

Image Credit: INTERPOL

‘Paperback Metaverse’ Exhibit Combines Books And AR

From vrscout

Visitors scan paperback novels using their smartphones to unlock AR-powered NFTs.

ADAPTATIONS: LAND, an environmentally-conscious mixed media art exhibit, kicked off yesterday in San Fransisco. Running now through November 13th, the gallery offers visitors the chance to immerse themselves in a number of thought-provoking installations.

This includes ‘Paper Metaverse,’ a unique augmented reality (AR) exhibit by Nick Philip of the art collective Imaginary Foundation that blends cutting-edge technology with paperback books. Surrounded by classic literature, visitors scan real paperback novels using their smartphones to unlock AR-powered NFTs.

“This installation uses the forgotten pages of yesterday’s novels to tell a collection of stories for tomorrow’s shifting reality,”said the Imaginary Foundation on Facebook. “By contrasting an environment built from thousands of upcycled paperback novels with a dynamic layer of augmented reality activated NFTs, the Paperback Metaverse fuses the physical, the virtual, and the sculptural.”

Those lucky enough to find themselves in San Fransisco can check out Paperback Metaverse along with a number of other unique mixed media installations at The Drawing Room Annex, 780 Valencia Street SF. The gallery is open Tuesday-Sunday from 11-7pm as well as Fridays & Saturdays from 11-9pm.

For more information visit here.

Image Credit: Imaginary Foundation

Official Matsu VR Temple Opens Inside The Metaverse

From vrscout

Followers around the world can participate in certified rituals.

Metaverse company XRSPACE is partnering with Meta and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) to launch a digital recreation of the famous Beigang Chaotian Temple in VR. The Matsu metaverse will allow followers around the world to immerse themselves in the thousand-year religion like never before.

The virtual world will be accessible on compatible smartphones and tablets as well as in VR using the Meta Quest 2. Once they’ve logged in, followers can participate in certified Matsu rituals including Fortune-Changing Bells, Fortune Poem Readings, and Moon Block Divination. There’s also Guangming Lights, a paid ritual that involves lighting a virtual lantern inside the metaverse alongside a physical lantern at the actual Beigang temple grounds.

Credit: XRSPACE

“The metaverse has the potential of redefining how humans socialize and connect,” said XRSPACE Founder Peter Chou. “XRSPACE aims to bring people together through the metaverse that will empower people’s everyday tasks in work, play, social, and religion practice with more immersive and interactive experience.”

“Metaverse is not only an extension of reality, but a powerful tool for real-time interaction and connectivity. XRSPACE is excited to partner with Meta, TAICCA, and Beigang Chaotian Temple to realize the Taiwan Cultural Metaverse. We will continue to push the technology on how metaverse experiences can serve cultural stories and initiatives, leading to new opportunities for Taiwan developers and creators on a global scale.”

Credit: Taiwan Tourism Bureau

“Beigang Chaotian Temple has a long history as the most influential Taiwanese religious hub for Matsu in devotion to serving all Her followers,” added Beigang Chaotian Temple Chairman, Mr. Yung-Te Tsai. “We are constantly seeking innovative means to extend Matsu’s global influence and to connect with young generations.”

“It is with great excitement that we partner with XRSPACE’s GOXR platform in linking with the global metaverse audience. Through which we are able to enact Matsu’s ritual and services with Her visitors, providing new possibilities for everyone to participate in Taiwan’s cultural events. We shall continue to collaborate with XRSPACE in a series of cultural performances in honor of Matsu’s spirit and teachings.”

Credit: XRSPACE

The Beigang Chaotian Temple metaverse will launch on October 4th via the aforementioned platform. In celebration of the grand opening, the platform will be hosting a “People’s Matsu Art Contest.” If you ever find yourself in need of assistance, just keep a look out for your two tour guides: Thousand-Mile-Sight and Ears-of-Wind.

Moving forward, XRSPACE and its partners plan on introducing various other cultural IPs. For more information visit here.

Image Credit: XRSPACE

The Just For Laughs Comedy Series Is Heading To VR

From vrscout

Visit Horizon Worlds next month to catch a virtual performance featuring renowned comics.

Founded in 1983, Just for Laughs is a popular comedy festival held every year in Montreal and Quebec that brings together well-known comics from around the world for a celebration of all things hilarious.

This year, event organizers have partnered with Meta to bring the long-running event to life in VR on Meta Quest 2 headsets. Next month, users can sign in to Meta’s social VR metaverse Horizon Worlds to catch the premiere of Surrounded, an unscripted comedy event from the festival that has audience members participating in the actual show.



The virtual event will feature a number of recognizable acts, including Nicole Byer, Nikki Glaser, Pete Holmes, Fortune Feimster, Moshe Kasher, Natasha Leggero, and Moses Storm.

“Filmed in July 2022 at the Just For Laughs festival in Montréal, Surrounded is set in the round—a simple yet effective format where the audience inspires the jokes,” said Meta in an official blog update. “VR attendees can mix and mingle with friends and fellow comedy fans.”

Credit: JFL

Just for Laughs’ Surrounded will premiere on September 9th in Horizon Worlds, after which point it will be available on-demand. Simply visit the Venues world and make a b-line for the Surrounded theater.

In addition to the unscripted show, Meta will also host an airing of the festival’s discovery showcase New Faces, which has introduced the world to megastars such as Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Kumail Nanjiani, and Jo Koy. The five-part series will air weekly in Horizon Worlds beginning October 4th and will feature over 50 rising stars.

For more information check out the official blog post here.

Feature Image Credit: Meta