New Zealand director Peter Jackson on Wednesday announced the sale of his special effects studio, Weta Digital, one of the most renowned in the film industry, to an American software company that wants to develop the "
metaverse
", the parallel digital universe.
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Unity Software, headquartered in San Francisco, said the $ 1.6 billion (€ 1.38 billion) acquisition will enable it to "
shape the future of the metaverse
", Contraction of meta universe ("
metaverse
"in English), a kind of digital lining of the physical world, accessible via the internet. According to the American company, the technology Weta possesses - used in blockbusters such as the
Lord of the Rings
and
Avatar
trilogy
- must allow its subscribers to create their own ultra-realistic universe of a virtual world. "
We are excited to democratize these cutting edge tools and bring the genius of Sir Peter Jackson and the incredible engineering talent of Weta to life for artists around the world,
”said John Riccitiello, President from Unity, in a press release.
As part of the deal, Unity Software will own the technology and engineering assets of Wellington-based Weta Digital, while the director will remain the majority owner of an independent film effects company called WetaFX.
He said being able to use Weta Digital's revolutionary programs was a game-changer for people working in the creative industry.
“
Together, Unity and Weta Digital can pave a way for any artist, regardless of industry, to take advantage of these incredibly creative and powerful tools
,” he said.
Free from physical constraints
The parallel digital universe whets many appetites because it should make it possible to multiply human interactions, freeing them from physical constraints.
Considered the next big leap in the evolution of the Internet, this "Grail", imagined by science fiction for almost thirty years, has become a new horizon of development.
Mark Zuckerberg, the boss of Facebook and Instagram platforms, WhatsApp and Messenger messaging and Oculus virtual reality headsets announced in October that his company is now called "
Meta
" as the Greek word for "
beyond
", but also as metaverse, for meta universe.
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According to him, the metaverse represents the future of the internet, after computers and mobile phones, to which the public will have access to interact, work or be entertained via technologies (augmented reality glasses, virtual reality headsets, etc. ). He portrayed his vision of the metaverse, an ultra-immersive universe, evoking science fiction novels, where real people and objects will mix with avatars and virtual images, thanks to new cutting-edge technologies. “
The essential quality of the metaverse will be the presence - the feeling of really being there with people.
“, Explained Mr. Zuckerberg in July on his Facebook profile.
The billionaire has already announced investments of several billion over the coming years and the recruitment of 10,000 people in Europe for this project.
