How many people does it take to build a metaverse? If you’re Facebook, you have a pretty definitive number: 10,000. That’s the amount of employees the social media company is looking to hire over the next five years in the EU – specifically targeting Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, and Ireland – in order to make its multi-billion dollar metaverse project a reality.
“This investment is a vote of confidence in the strength of the European tech industry and the potential of European tech talent. […] Beyond emerging tech talent, the EU also has an important role to play in shaping the new rules of the internet. European policymakers are leading the way in helping to embed European values like free expression, privacy, transparency and the rights of individuals into the day-to-day workings of the internet. Facebook shares these values and we have taken considerable action over the years to uphold them.”
While Facebook is planning to dump truckloads of money and people into the creation of the metaverse, the announcement claims that “no one company will own and operate the metaverse,” likening the project to a utility like the internet. “Its key feature will be its openness and interoperability,” claims the post.
The news comes as Facebook is being pummeled by the press over whistleblower complaints and leaked documents about how the company operates.
Tangentially, Microsoft and developer Mainframe are reportedly working on creating a cloud-native MMO. Mainframe’s official site is vague on details such as any release timing, testing dates, or even a name for the game, but it promises this new game is “a vibrant world with new ways to engage and connect with our friends” and calls the project “the game of a lifetime.”
