EU hosts gala in $400,000-metaverse, only 6 people show up

(Image credit: screengrab from video tweeted by @vchadw)

The European Union hopped on to the metaverse trend, hoping to get youngsters interested in its investment plans.

It turned out to be a damp squib.

At a metaverse gala hosted earlier this week by EU Commission's foreign aid department, only six people reportedly showed up.

"I’m here at the “gala” concert in the EU foreign aid dept’s metaverse," journalist Vince Chadwick, who writes for the website Devex, tweeted. "After initial bemused chats with the roughly five other humans who showed up, I am alone."

Chadwick shared a video from the metaverse party, showing avatars dancing on a stage. On the side, chats between the attendees in real life appeared.

I’m here at the “gala” concert in the EU foreign aid dept’s €387k metaverse (designed to attract non politically engaged 18-35 year olds — see story below). After initial bemused chats with the roughly five other humans who showed up, I am alone. https://t.co/ChIHeXasQPpic.twitter.com/kZWIVlKmhL

— Vince Chadwick (@vchadw) November 29, 2022

The party seemed so lacklustre that at one point, Chadwick wrote: "wondering if I got the date wrong".

Journalist Lauren Leffer wrote in an article for tech website Gizmodo that she tried the EU metaverse experience, and it was underwhelming.

The camera controls are incredibly clunky," she wrote. "I kept trying to start up chats with other avatars but nobody responded. I messaged into the void."

However, she said the graphics were the same quality as Facebook parent Meta's Horizon World, on which billions of dollars have been spent.

The EU's foreign aid department lavished $400,000 on a metaverse to popularise its “Global Gateway” investment plan, which seeks to rival China's Belt and Road Initiative.

It unveiled a promo for the £257-billion plan in October, and social media users didn't seem amused by it.

Discover the new #GlobalGateway digital platform - https://t.co/DHAdsfwbA1 Our shared digital space is the perfect place to get to know new people and reflect on global issues to make a difference for our shared future. #WhoWeArepic.twitter.com/IAA01vIYbo — EU International Partnerships

"Seriously? There is a massive drought in East Africa, UNHCR doesn't have enough funds for food for refugees in camps, etc etc and THIS is what you choose to spend money on?" read one comment.

Even EU employees criticised the project, describing it as "embarrassing" and a "digital garbage", Devex reported.