Snapchat has announced a significant upgrade to its popular Bitmoji avatars, enhancing their 3D models in a move that aligns with the next phase of digital connection — the metaverse.
The popular social media platform stated, “The new avatar style improves characteristics like hair texture, face shading and body proportions. Your Bitmoji can now have a bolder smile, a more astonished face when they’re surprised, and can express even the most subtle and nuanced emotions. Plus, we’re improving how you engage with your Bitmoji, like enhanced editing that allows you to modify your avatar in 3D, using zoom and rotating features to get a closer look.”
These updated avatars are designed to interact more effectively within 3D environments, positioning them as personal proxies in emerging online landscapes like the metaverse.
This development comes as part of the larger trend of using 3D avatars as key interactive mediums in digital spaces, a concept actively promoted by Meta. Younger users are already familiar with avatar interaction in games such as Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft, suggesting a significant opportunity for these digital characters to facilitate interaction in new contexts.
Meta continues to expand the use of 3D avatars and has been incorporating more avatar usage in its current apps. The idea is to familiarize users with this mode of communication, fostering a sense of identification with their digital characters that would smooth the transition into the metaverse.
Meta has also introduced commercial opportunities around avatars, announcing a new digital clothing line created by fashion house Valentino for avatars, following collaborations with brands like adidas and Puma.
As Meta and other tech giants project the rise of the metaverse, digital avatars like Snapchat's Bitmoji are expected to become key to online interactions. In this context, Snap's move to enhance its Bitmoji characters can be seen as a strategic step to stay connected with the next phase of digital communication.
