Every day we witness a new step forward in the metaverse , that term that Facebook has popularized since it became Meta (the company, not the social network). There are still many unknowns about the applications of this virtual world and how far it can go in the future, but one of the first elements to be able to enter the metaverse is that of almost any virtual universe: create an avatar.
Avatar, in addition to being the highest grossing movie of all time , is a digital representation of our own being, used to identify us within a game or online service. Meta recently updated its own with 3D capabilities, to “give people more ways to express themselves” within that future—and present—metaverse.
How to create your custom avatar in the metaverse
Up to three different Avatars can be created for each of the main Meta platforms : one for Facebook & Messenger, another for Instagram and a third for Quest, the virtual reality platform. However, if users have account sync turned on, any changes they make to the avatar on Facebook and Messenger will carry over directly to Instagram, and Quest, and vice versa.
Creation on Facebook
If we have a mobile device at hand, the steps would be as follows:
Steps to create Avatar of the Metaverse.
- Enter the Facebook app.
- Go to the Menu (the three lines in the upper right corner).
- Choose the Avatars option. If it does not appear among the first icons (usually Marketplace, Groups or Events), click on “See more”.
- Once the Avatars icon appears, press to enter the editor.
- First of all, you will have to choose your skin tone.
- Once this is done, you will be able to choose other aspects such as your hairstyle, face type, clothes, etc.
- Alternatively, you can activate your selfie camera so that the editor will recognize your facial features and match them to the Avatar type.
- Once you’re satisfied, hit “Done.” The application will allow you to share the result with your friends on Facebook or Instagram and from that moment it can also be used in Messenger conversations or used as a profile image.
Creation on Instagram
Meta Avatar Example
- Open the Instagram app (in its most updated version possible if you have not found the following options).
- Go to Profile and select the three horizontal lines at the top right.
- Continue to the Settings option.
- Open Account and select Avatars.
- After selecting your characteristics among the options you can have your Avatar ready.
Current uses of the Meta Avatar
The use of these updated and personalized three-dimensional (3D) avatars in the Facebook and Messenger applications and, for the first time, in Instagram, is another step in moving towards the implementation of the metaverse in all its services.
With this update it is now possible to use 3D avatars in stickers , posts, comments or profile photos on Facebook and Messenger. On the Instagram side, they can be used both in Stories and in direct messages (DM), also those that are three-dimensional.
Taking into account that one of the most basic definitions that have been given about this very complex concept of the metaverse has been “a place where we will play and connect in 3D”, it never hurts to have our selves already digitized waiting to see what let’s decide to do with it.
