Mark Zuckeberg’s metaverse is still just a dream inside his head. But one animator took the liberty of creating a version of Facebook’s metaverse that probably wouldn’t be approved by the social media giant.
The video opens by welcoming the viewer as an “Alpha tester” for the Metaverse. The caption explains the viewer will be participating in the environment with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself. And then things get weird.
“Hey. And welcome. Today we’re going to talk about the metaverse,” animated Zuck says before turning around to show you he has a large sword behind his back. Sporting a Pennywise-style smile and an obsession with Sweet Baby Ray’s (which, it should be noted, is based on the real Zuckerberg) the video becomes a creepy commentary on where this whole metaverse thing could go.
Eventually, the user is given choices, like whether to accept a gift of barbecue sauce from Zuckerberg, something that the viewer declines. And since the video isn’t truly interactive, you don’t really have a choice. But that’s not what Zuckerberg wanted to hear. And our viewer gets slaughtered by the pixelated Zuck.
The video features a creepy coda explaining that Meta has “dispatched a hitman to your location at Mark Zuckerberg’s request.”
“You may feel your Meta license headset tightening. Soon you will be unable to remove it,” the text reads. “This is normal and follows the Terms of Service that you previously accepted.”
You can try out the new video for yourself on YouTube, which even allows you to rotate the camera.
And it’s really worth watching the 360 version through YouTube, which was produced by Surreal Entertainment. There are all kinds of details that you won’t pick up if you only see a static version of the video, like the ones currently circulating on sites like Twitter and TikTok. For instance, do you notice that there’s someone else in the room with you and Zuck?
Actually, there might be two people if you include the person tied up behind the column and whatever the hell is standing behind the Sweet Baby Rays. Facebook did not respond to a request for comment overnight.
It’s all just a bizarre parody video at this point, but if Zuckerberg’s dreams for the metaverse become real, who’s to say it won’t look something like this? Even if Zuck currently wants it all to look like a CD-ROM of Encarta ‘95.