Why Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wants you in a ‘metaverse shop’

The social media giant has already poured billions into creating the world, but has made an unusual decision it says will help people “glimpse the future”.

Mark Zuckerberg is opening physical “metaverse stores” to help people enter his virtual world.

The Meta boss has hailed the metaverse as the future of tech – and thinks brick-and-mortar shops could get the message across.

The metaverse is like a collection of connected digital worlds that you can explore in many different ways, The Sun reports.

Meta, which owns Facebook, recently revealed plans to hire another 10,000 staff to build the metaverse.

Now the company is opening its first Meta Store this year.

The shop will open on May 9 in Burlingame, California and Meta says it will allow shoppers to “glimpse the future” with the metaverse.

“Once people experience the technology, they can gain a better appreciation for it,” said Facebook’s new head of Meta Store, Martin Gilliard.

“If we did our job right, people should leave and tell their friends, ‘You’ve got to go check out the Meta Store.’”

The shop will stock a number of Meta’s own virtual reality and augmented reality products.

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Meta is days away from opening its first physical shop. Picture: Meta

This includes the Meta Quest 2 headset – previously known as the Oculus Quest 2, a VR headset that immerses you in a virtual world.

Through it, you can access Meta’s own metaverse apps – including Horizon, which lets users create and visit worlds in a multiplayer setting.

And there are plenty of third-party Oculus apps and games to enjoy too.

Shoppers will be able to experience the bizarre sci-fi metaverse inside the Meta Store.

Shoppers will be able to try out the metaverse in the Meta Store. Picture: Meta

Then if they’re impressed, they could buy a Meta Quest 2 headset, accessories or one of Facebook’s Portal screens instead.

“The Meta Store is going to help people make that connection to how our products can be the gateway to the metaverse in the future,” Mr Gilliard explained.

“We’re not selling the metaverse in our store.

“But hopefully people will come in and walk out knowing a little bit more about how our products will help connect them to it.”

Tech giant Facebook has poured billions of dollars into building the “metaverse” already – and recently vowed to hire another 10,000 staff to work on the project.

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Picture: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Billionaire Zuckerberg previously revealed how you’ll soon be able to live in virtual Facebook houses – an early stage of the metaverse.

And the Harvard dropout previously told how he wants metaverse citizens to be able to make a living inside the virtual world.

But some have warned that the metaverse could be dangerous for children and create a sexual abuse nightmare.

Despite criticisms, tech mogul Zuck has described the metaverse as “the next version of the internet”.

“This isn’t about spending more times in screens. It’s about making the time we already spend better,” said Zuckerberg, 37, speaking about his vision for the metaverse.

Shoppers will be encouraged to walk away with their own metaverse-friendly Meta Quest 2 headset. Picture: Meta

Speaking to journalists including The Sun, Facebook VR boss Andrew Bosworth described the company’s bold vision.

“The metaverse is a set of virtual 3D spaces where you can share immersive experiences with each other when you can’t be together,” Bosworth explained.

“What comes after the internet? Instead of looking at a screen, you get to be in the experiences.

“You don’t have to experience it in VR. Most people initially will experience it on screens they already have.”

Mark Zuckerberg (centre) has previously spoken to the world from inside the metaverse. Picture: Meta/Oculus

The Meta Store is located at 322 Airport Blvd in Burlingame, California. It will be open to the public Monday to Friday from 11am to 6pm local time, starting on May 9.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission