Source: CNET
Summary
Meta’s Reality Labs employees have expressed disappointment and frustration with the state of the company’s new virtual reality platform, Horizon Worlds. According to an internal memo, employees said the platform is “not ready for launch” and that it lacks essential features. The company had planned to launch Horizon Worlds in 2023, but the release has been delayed. Meta’s VP of Reality Labs said the platform is still in development and that the company is working to address the issues.
Our Reading
The launch follows a familiar script.
Meta’s Horizon Worlds is the latest in a long line of “revolutionary” VR platforms that promise to change the world. Employees are frustrated with the platform’s unfinished state, but that’s not stopping the company from hyping it up. The delay is just a minor setback in the grand tradition of tech companies launching products before they’re ready. Because who needs a finished product when you can just promise to “iterate” later?
Horizon Worlds: Just Another Unfinished Product
It’s not like we haven’t seen this before. Tech companies are notorious for launching products that are barely functional, only to patch them up later with updates and bug fixes. And yet, they always seem to find a way to spin it as a positive. “We’re just getting started!” they say, as if that’s a good thing.
The Never-Ending Beta
Horizon Worlds is just the latest example of a product that’s been released before its time. And let’s be real, it’s not like Meta is alone in this. How many times have we seen a company launch a product in “beta” only to leave it in that state for years? It’s like they’re trying to make “beta” a permanent state of being.
Iterate, Iterate, Iterate (But Don’t Actually Finish)
The promise to “iterate” later is just a cop-out. It’s a way for companies to avoid actually finishing their products before releasing them. And it’s not like it’s going to get any better. We’ll just get a steady stream of updates and patches, each one promising to fix the problems of the last. But the problems will never really be fixed, because that would require actually finishing the product.
The Employees Know Best
At least the employees at Meta’s Reality Labs are speaking out about the state of Horizon Worlds. They know that the platform is not ready for launch, and they’re not afraid to say so. Maybe if more employees spoke out, we wouldn’t see so many unfinished products hitting the market.
Author: Evan Null
