Meta to Unveil UFC-Inspired Virtual Reality Experience in Horizon Worlds

Meta has announced a partnership with UFC to introduce live mixed martial arts (MMA) in virtual reality (VR) on Horizon Worlds. According to a Quest Blog post viewed by The Verge, this immersive experience will be available from November and will allow UFC Fight Pass subscribers to watch MMA fights in 4K resolution and 180-degree VR capture. Meta also mentioned that viewers can enjoy the action individually or with friends, and have the option to switch camera angles during the fights for the optimal viewing experience.

Users can also chat about UFC with other Horizon Worlds users, explore a virtual version of the Octagon, and compete in single and multiplayer in-world games for unlockable rewards – all with the goal of becoming a UFC Hall of Famer. .”

The new experience is one of the many ways Meta is trying to attract users to Horizon Worlds. Recently, the company added Quests to keep users coming back to the site, including mini-games like Giant Paddle Mini Golf, Arena Clash, and Bad Roommates. It also recently introduced Rumble World, the first of many next-gen Horizon Worlds games with improved graphics and more complex gameplay.

Meta said it was drawn to the UFC “because of the engagement and passion of this audience,” noting that fans enjoy not only the fights, but sharing the experience with other fans. “We successfully tested this technology at a few MMA events last year, and now we’re going even further,” says MMA Content Director Craig Borsari. “We’re just scratching the surface of how we can use this technology to increase fan engagement and grow this sport.”

The UFC also makes sense in the Meta, given CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s apparent interest in the sport (although his cage match with Elon Musk looks questionable at the moment). In any case, live sports can be a powerful way to attract new users to the announced ticketing service, so it will be interesting to see if Meta adds others alongside the UFC.