Meta has started rolling out a new feature for Quest 3 and Quest 3S users, enabling them to invite friends into virtual rooms created using Hyperscape technology. Previously, exploring digitally scanned real-world locations was a solo experience. The new feature allows multiple users to occupy the same virtual space, sharing the experience in real time. Players can invite friends via a link through the Meta Horizon app on mobile devices or VR headsets.
According to Meta’s blog, up to eight users can enter the same Hyperscape world during this initial rollout, with plans to support more participants in the future. Rendering has been moved onto the devices themselves, improving performance and adding ambient sounds for a more realistic experience. Initial processing still occurs on Meta’s servers, but visuals are rendered in real time locally to reduce latency.
Users interested in inviting friends will need to wait a few months as the feature gradually becomes available. Once granted access, users must rescan their space to enable shared link access. While this step requires some time, it ensures the highest level of detail in the virtual room. Participants must be at least 18 years old and enter via a shared link.
Meta emphasizes that this development is another step in its Metaverse vision, blending digital worlds with real-world environments. Users can explore fantastical landscapes one day or virtually meet friends in a scanned recreation of their own living room the next. Hyperscape leverages Gaussian Splatting technology to deliver high-resolution visuals comparable to reality.
The company also encourages creators to experiment by mixing different environments to generate new virtual worlds. With Hyperscape producing highly realistic rooms, content creators now have greater opportunities for art, functionality, or even social VR activities. Meta invites users to scan diverse locations to share new experiences.
Writers who previewed rooms scanned via the Hyperscape Capture app noted the level of detail was so high it was almost impossible to distinguish between real and virtual. Examples are available in demonstration videos on YouTube, showing the immersive quality users can expect. The feature is currently rolling out in the U.S., with international availability to follow soon.
Origin: The Verge
