San Francisco, May 17 (IANS): Meta (formerly Facebook) has announced that it started an expanded beta test of 'members-only worlds' -- in its social virtual reality (VR) platform 'Horizon Worlds'.

The members-only worlds allow creators to build and cultivate a space where a community of people can come together to enjoy a curated experience.

"People with access to the beta test will now have the ability to make visible members-only worlds -- and anyone with access to Meta Horizon Worlds will be able to search for and request to join those members-only worlds, helping people grow their communities, find and make new ones in Worlds," Meta said in a blogpost on Tuesday.

The company said creators can offer exclusive and uniquely tailored experiences by hand-selecting members.

Creators will be able to provide exclusive access to VIP supporters, create a dedicated space to showcase their world design portfolio to the creator community, gather a gaming group, organise a support group, and much more -- all without worrying about uninvited guests.

During the alpha test, each members-only world can have up to 150 world members and 25 concurrent visitors at any given time.

"Our vision for members-only worlds is to empower creators to craft the culture of their communities," Meta stated.

In addition to the existing moderation tools offered to creators in closed spaces, Meta also introduced 'reports' for members-only worlds -- a one-stop shop where the owners of those worlds can view and take action on member-submitted incident reports.

Meta Horizon will soon be available on the Web and mobile devices, and across closed experiences, including members-only worlds, the company said.