Mozilla, the organization behind the Firefox web browser, bought Active Replica in November 2022. This Canadian company is currently working on a web-based metaverse. But, what does Mozilla intend to do with Active Replica’s projects?
Imo Udom, the SVP at Mozilla, claims that this acquisition will bolster Hubs, which is a virtual platform for collaboration. It lets users create 3D spaces easily, and others can join with just an URL without installing anything.
Hubs was launched in 2018, an experiment on social experiences back then. It has been continuously developed since then, and is compatible with the most well-known goggles like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. However, these devices are not mandatory; Hubs can also be used with desktop computers and smartphones.
What Udom announced is that the work of Active Replica will improve the experience, introduce new interactions and offer subscription tiers based on specific customer needs. He implies that the team in Active Replica is quite experienced in virtual-based products and services, and it will enhance what Mozilla’s currently working on with their expertise and a fresh look at things.
Top talent at Active Replica includes their founders, Jacob Ervin and Valerian Denis. Ervin is a software engineer who was also part of other startups like Metaio, Liminal AR, and Occipital. All of them dealt with Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality solutions. Denis worked in management for other VR-related companies like BackLight.
The Metaverse concept has had its ups and downs, with former Facebook and now Meta CEO Zuckerberg getting a lot of heat amidst some questionable decisions, such as changing the focus of the company towards virtual reality and the Metaverse.
In the case of Mozilla, this is not the first time they dabble in VR-related concepts. In February 2022, Firefox Reality was discontinued. It was meant to create a browser for AR and VR headsets.
Mozilla themselves have been careful not to look too eager in joining the Metaverse bandwagon. They claim that they help develop new tech such as WebVR and WebAR, but this is not a long-term objective of the organization.
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