Today, we’re announcing that Group Effects are available on Messenger video calls and Messenger Rooms, and will be coming soon to Instagram. Group Effects are new AR experiences that can augment everyone on a video call at the same time, enabling a more fun and immersive way to connect with friends and family. Whether you want to step up your competitive game or have fun with your long-distance friend, Group Effects makes video calls more entertaining.
At the end of this month, we’re expanding access to the new Spark AR Multipeer API to let more creators and developers build Group Effects. With the Spark Multipeer API, all creators and developers can build dynamic, real-time interactive effects for larger audiences and transform the way people experience video calling.
With Group Effects, you can now play multiplayer interactions with your friends, making video calls a shared experience. You’ll be able to choose from a library of over 70 Group Effects, ranging from a game where you compete to build the best burger to an effect with a cute orange cat that enters everyone’s screens.
To check out Group Effects, start a video call or create a room in your Messenger app, tap the smiley face to open the effects tray and select Group Effects.
Group Effects also enable creators to bring their creative ideas to the Messenger video calling experience. Until now, many AR effects have been a solo experience, like augmenting a photo or video for Stories or Reels. We’re excited to see how creators, like Ross Wakefield who designed the “Blow the Dandelion” effect, expand their creativity with Group Effects, while also helping you deepen connections with friends and family in real-time.
Many people rely on video calls to bridge physical distance and interact with the world around them, especially now. With Group Effects, we aim to make those interactions even more exciting and memorable.