Meta has announced two new artificial intelligence-powered tools designed to simplify game creation for its Horizon platform. Horizon Create, a mobile application, and Horizon Studio, a browser-based application, will allow users to build 2D and 3D mobile games using text prompts. Both tools are built on the Meta Horizon Engine and are rolling out in early access, with a waitlist available for interested users.
Horizon Create enables users to describe their desired game in natural language, which the AI then translates into a playable experience. The app allows for the addition of progression systems, balanced difficulty, artistic style, and multiplayer modes, with options for manual refinement of each element. Users can start from a blank canvas or use pre-made templates, and the app supports background building while the user engages with other tasks. Horizon Studio offers more granular controls within a browser environment, eliminating the need for installation or a dedicated gaming PC. Projects can be transferred seamlessly between Horizon Create and Horizon Studio, preserving assets, systems, and iteration history.
Meta intends for these tools to lower the barriers to game development, which traditionally requires coding skills, specialized hardware, and extensive time investment. Saxs Persson, Meta's VP of Horizon, stated that the aim is to enable creators with great game ideas to build and distribute them without lengthy processes.
Games developed using Horizon Create and Horizon Studio will be eligible for recommendation and distribution across Meta's platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. Users will be able to access and play published games directly from these social networks, potentially joining multiplayer sessions without needing separate downloads. Meta indicated that games demonstrating stability, user engagement, cultural relevance, and player retention will receive increased visibility. This move comes as Meta shifts its Horizon platform focus towards mobile devices, having initially launched as a virtual reality application. The announcement has led to a decrease in the stock prices of gaming companies such as Unity Software, Roblox Corporation, and AppLovin. Meta has stated that all generated content will undergo safety checks and receive automated age ratings before distribution.