The Walt Disney Co appointed Mike White to head the company’s charge into the metaverse and develop the “next generation [of] storytelling,” according to CNBC.
White, who joined the media giant in 2011, was in charge of Disney’s consumer experiences and platforms. He has also worked with a selection of tech companies including Yahoo.
Disney chief executive Bob Chapek told employees White will be the company’s senior vice president and will be in charge of “connecting the physical and digital worlds.”
“Today, we have an opportunity to connect those universes and create an entirely new paradigm for how audiences experience and engage with our stories,” Chapek told employees in a memo.
The metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds, accessed via virtual reality (VR) headsets, where users can interact, game, and experience things as they would in the real world.
Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:FB), formerly known as Facebook, was one of the first large companies to commit to the metaverse. So far its changed its name to Meta and invested over US$10bn on developing its VR world.
Although, Meta said it may take 15 years for its virtual world to be fully developed and accessed via VR headsets.
It also intends to release an updated version of its VR headset later in 2022, while Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is set to uncover its headset in the coming year(s), joining Microsoft Corp who already sells one, CNBC added