Sydney now has premier access point for the metaverse via the Meta Experience Centre (MXC) in Barangaroo.
AdNews, one of the first to see inside the MXC, spoke with Jason Juma-Ross, director of tech industry strategy at Meta Sydney about the company’s goals and opportunities for the centre.
The MXC Sydney is currently an invite-only space but eventually Meta will make the space more accessible.
No photos of the centre’s inside have been released to the public. AdNews was not permitted to take photos inside.
While the metaverse can be accessed on a variety of devices including phones and computers, virtual reality headsets allow users to be fully immersed.
Guests at MXC use Oculus Quest 2 -- Meta’s virtual reality headset and accompanying hand controls which start at $479 -- to enter the metaverse.
The metaverse as described by Meta is “a set of digital spaces that you can move seamlessly between - you’ll be able to connect, work, play, learn and shop.
“Like the internet, the metaverse will help you connect with people when you aren’t physically in the same place and get us even closer to that feeling of being together in person.”
MXC guests can trial the many offerings of the metaverse from playing hundreds of immersive games to seeing how purchasing and commercialisation in the virtual world would work to other business experiences like Meta’s Horizon Workrooms where teams can meet in the virtual boardroom.
User gaming with the Oculus Quest 2 - Credit: Oculus
Sydney’s MXC isn't a world first, as many of Meta’s head offices and other Web3 companies around the globe have also launched similar in-life experience centres.
Regardless of who did what first, these environments will be a driving force for educating about the potential of the new tech in the virtual world. The global metaverse economy is predicted to be worth more than $3 trillion in a decade.
“Like everyone else in this space we are learning,” said Juma-Ross.
Meta has invited a closed list of media agencies, Meta partners and brands to the MXC to show them what tools Meta can offer businesses and how they can work together to create something groundbreaking.
Meta is also offering training programs and workshops.
Launching the space follows a slew of recent marketing and media partnerships from Meta Sydney.
Foxtel Group partnered with Meta and used the metaverse to amplify a new show, Benji.
One of Benji’s interviews was hosted in the metaverse, with Benji talking to former Roosters and Storm halfback, Cooper Cronk, using Meta’s Horizon Workrooms.
The interview is streaming on Kayo’s Facebook and Instagram for the next month, available on desktop, mobile and VR.
Benji and Cooper Cronk in Meta’s Horizon Workrooms.
Hyundai Australia worked with Meta to launch an AR filter, which leveraged the spatial audio-visual sound experience of their N-range Truescale AR series for a virtual walk around experience on Instagram.
The N-Range AR experience offered real-time translation and performance simulation with no specialist equipment. Customers were also able to seamlessly take the next step: review automakers build and price, and schedule a test drive.
Hyundai AR innovative experience.
Partnering with Arkio, Meta can allow any user to create, collaborate and review using VR, desktop and mobile with people wherever they are in the world.
Users can try out new ideas, design interiors, buildings, virtual spaces or game environments and make better design decisions faster.
“No one company can build the metaverse alone, but we’re excited to help bring this vision to life,” said Meta.
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