Microsoft is bringing 3D Avatars to Teams this May

Ever felt like you need a camera break during those never-ending meetings or you don't feel like turning on your video on Teams calls?

Animated 3D Avatars are coming to your rescue, thanks to Microsoft – which posted an update to its Microsoft 365 roadmap announcing a May 2023 rollout date for Avatars for Microsoft Teams to all users.

"Avatars for Microsoft Teams gives you that much-needed camera break, while still allowing you to collaborate effectively. You can add a new layer of choice to your meetings and represent yourself the way you want with customizable avatars and reactions," the update stated.

Microsoft originally announced the Avatars feature in 2021, making it the company's first attempt at building a metaverse inside Teams. Since then, the company has been quietly testing the feature and is on the verge of making collaboration cooler.

That same year, the company's major rival in the metaverse race, Meta Platforms launched a new virtual-reality remote work app called Horizon Workrooms app in 22 countries, including Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, that allows its Oculus Quest 2 headset users to hold meetings as avatar versions of themselves.