Facebook has widened access to their new Oculus Venues beta and provided some more details on new features ahead of next week’s Facebook Connect event.
Previously Facebook confirmed it was testing a new and improved version of Venues with a limited group of people on Oculus Quest. According to an Oculus blog post, it looks like this access will be widened even more over “the coming weeks” to larger numbers of people.
Facebook says that the upgraded Venues app is “focused on helping you be more social.” There’s a new lobby area where you can meet up with friends at any point before, during, or after the show. Content will also be expanded as well — Venues will now have a rotating set of “always-on” content that is available on a rotating schedule. This will be a mix of genres according to Facebook, including “comedy, exploration, and more.”
The Venues update also uses avatars that seem to resemble the same ones used for Facebook’s upcoming collaborative game creation and playing platform, Facebook Horizon, which is also currently being tested in a private beta. While in Venues, you and your friends will have access to new social features as well, including “interactive emoji expressions, confetti rain, fist bumps, high fives, and the ability to take photos and selfies.” The app will also now support sending invites to friends, asking them to join you in the lobby before an event.
Next week’s Facebook Connect event can be watched in Venues and will also include an exclusive concert by Jayden Smith.
Have you got access to the new Venues beta? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
