Facebook Launches Virtual Reality App to Hang Out with Friends Through Oculus

Facebook this week introduced Spaces, a virtual reality app where users can hang out with friends in an interactive virtual environment.

The app, which is available as a beta for Oculus Rift, was announced during F8, Facebook’s annual developer conference.

In Spaces, users create avatars that look like them. The app uses Facebook photos to generate realistic options to select from. Further customization is available.

There are multiplayer games included, as well as Facebook content.

“You can draw in the air with a virtual marker to create anything you can dream up, from a decorative hat to a handmade tic-tac-toe board,” explains Rachel Franklin, Head of Social VR for Facebook. “You’ll also find the rich variety of Facebook content at your fingertips to view with friends in VR, including 360 videos and photos that can transport you to new places.”

In Spaces, users can also phone friends through Messenger calling; instead of seeing a live video feed of your face, they’ll see the virtual world you are experiencing.

“Today is only the beginning,” says Franklin. “We’ve only just scratched the surface of social VR technology.”