The director of the “Lord of the Rings” sold Weta Digital for 1.38 billion euros to an American software company.
Le Monde with AFP
Neo Zealanders Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings and King Kong, announced, Wednesday, November 10, the sale of his special effects studio, Weta Digital, one of the most renowned in the industry Cinema, an American software company that wants to develop the metackers, the parallel digital universe.
Unity Software, headquartered in San Francisco, explained that this acquisition, amounting to $ 1.6 billion (€ 1.38 billion) will allow it to “develop the ‘Future of methavers “- contraction of” meta “and” universe “, metaversus in English -, a kind of digital lining of the physical world, accessible via the Internet.
According to this American company, the technology that Weta has – used in superproductions such as the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings and Avatar – must allow its subscribers to create their own ultrarealistic world of a virtual world.
John Ricciello, President of Unity, said in a statement:
“We are delighted to democratize these tools at the tip [of technology] and to give life to the genius of Sir Peter Jackson and the incredible Weta engineering talent for artists from around the world.”
Peter Jackson will remain the owner of the majority of Wetafx
As part of this agreement, Unity Software will hold Weta Digital’s technology and engineering assets, located in Wellington, while Mr. Jackson will remain the owner of the majority of an independent cinematographic effects company called Wetafx. .
The director claimed that Weta Digital’s revolutionary programs changed the game for people working in the creation sector:
“Together, Unity and Weta Digital can open a track allowing any artist, regardless of its industry, take advantage of these incredibly creative and powerful tools.”
Considered as the next big jump in the evolution of the Internet, the parallel digital universe has become a new development horizon. Designed by science fiction for nearly thirty years, it should make it possible to multiply human interactions.
Multi billions invested by Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg, the pattern of Facebook and Instagram platforms, WhatsApp and Messenger messaging and Oculus virtual reality helmets, announced in October that his company was now called Meta (“Beyond”, in Greek Old).
According to him, metackers represents the future of the Internet, after computers and mobile phones, to which the public will have access to interact, work or entertain thanks to the technologies (augmented reality goggles, virtual reality helmets …).
He depicted his vision of metackers, an immersive world where the actual people and objects will be mixed with avatars and virtual images, thanks to advanced technologies.
In July, Mr. Zuckerberg explained on his Facebook profile:
“The essential quality of the metackers will be the presence – the feeling of really being there with people.”
The billionaire has already announced several billion investments in the coming years and the recruitment of 10,000 people in Europe for this project.