The metaverse is definitely in trouble. If the very definition of this technology is debated, there is no doubt that the companies which have embarked on this path since the great announcements of Facebook have done so with the same idea: to create a 3D universe accessible to the greatest number, where the border between virtual and real is particularly tenuous, a kind of extension or double of the physical world. Except that despite the announcement effects, the new generation metaverse(s) are slow to show up, while the public’s enthusiasm does not seem to go beyond the stage of simple curiosity. So much so that many are wondering if the metaverse might just be a somewhat hollow marketing concept.
The volte-face of Meta (ex-Facebook), which recently confirmed to refocus its efforts on artificial intelligence to the detriment of the metaverse, seems to have inspired Disney. According to wall street journal, the entertainment specialist would have dismissed all of its teams dedicated to the development of strategies related to the metaverse, that is to say about fifty people. Teams which will therefore not have survived the company’s social plan, which concerns no less than 7,000 employees in total.
A division born only last year
In 2022, former Disney CEO Bob Chapek had created this new division and appointed Mike White, a company executive, to lead it. According to US media, the man should remain with the company, but in another position. While some techno-enthusiasts cry out for caution, asking not to confuse metaverse and virtual/augmented reality, Bob Chapek had all the same mentioned a “mix of physical and digital experiences” when this division was launched, strongly reminiscent of the development of a virtual or augmented reality headset.
Besides, the closure of the division does not necessarily mean that Disney will abandon all experiments of this kind. Our colleagues also mention the pressure from investors to implement serious cost reduction measures. An emergency response, in short, which would see the least profitable divisions disappear first.