A judge may soon decide the future of the metaverse, with major implications for virtual reality (VR) users.
The Metaverse Explained – And What Comes Next | Insider Business
The Federal Trade Commission is filing a lawsuit to prevent Meta from acquiring Within, the maker of virtual reality fitness apps. The government claims that allowing the Meta purchase would create a monopoly, and experts say the outcome of the lawsuit could determine who dominates the metaverse for years to come.
“If Meta is stopped from continuing its acquisition spree, it will level the VR industry playing field,” Eric Alexander, founder of Soundscape VR, an entertainment platform based in the metaverse, told Lifewire in an email interview. “This will benefit every player in the VR space (except Zuckerberg). For consumers, developers, and smaller VR companies, stopping Meta’s VR acquisitions will encourage growth and creativity in VR development and prevent Meta from stifling innovation.”
The FTC is suing to stop Meta’s acquisition of Within, alleging it “tends to create a monopoly” in the VR fitness app market. The FTC has asked a judge to grant a preliminary injunction to stop the proposed transaction.
