The Facebook transformation we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. No, Mark Zuckerberg hasn’t resigned. And no, the company hasn’t been broken up. It’s a lot more significant than that. Facebook has changed the name of its holding company!
Zuckerberg announced at Facebook Connect on Thursday that the company shall now be known as… drum roll please…
Meta.
I must admit, I’m disappointed. I had high hopes that Facebook would follow our name suggestions of Nothing Suspicious Going On Here™ or :. Alas, the company has plumped for the type of bland brand name that you can only get by paying an ad agency millions of dollars.
There is, however, a strategy behind the switch. Zuckerberg announced the rebrand during a presentation about the company’s metaverse plans.
The most eye-catching announcement was that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is being developed for the Oculus Quest 2 — but Zuckerberg said that gaming is just the start.
There will also be fitness in the metaverse, apparently, as well as new ways working, travelling, learning, and commerce.
“This is the next chapter for our work — and we believe the internet overall,” said Zuckerberg.
Zuckerberg will hope the rebrand persuades people that Facebook isn’t just a social media hellscape — and perhaps he’ll be successful. I’m already thinking of the company as a metaverse hellscape as well.