Facebook has announced a new set of video-calling features such as Messenger Rooms that will allow users to host video calls of up to 50 people. According to Facebook, “you will be able to create a room right from Messenger or Facebook, and invite anyone to join your video call, even if they don’t have a Facebook account.”

Once the company goes live at full capacity, rooms will be able to hold 50 people that too with no time limit, which will poses an immediate competition to video-calling apps in the market, like Zoom and Houseparty. And, thanks to Covid-19, the fortunes for these two companies have changed in past few weeks. 

In a blogpost, Facebook said “You can start and share rooms on Facebook through News Feed, Groups and Events, so it’s easy for people to drop by. Soon we’ll add ways to create rooms from Instagram Direct, WhatsApp and Portal, too.”

“If your friends or communities create rooms that are open to you, you’ll see them on Facebook so you can find things to do and people to hang out with. When you’re invited to a room, you can join from your phone or computer — no need to download anything to get started. If you have the Messenger app, you can play with AR effects like bunny ears, and new AI-powered features like immersive 360 backgrounds and mood lighting.”

The new feature comes with several privacy and security controls especially when you create a room, than you choose who can see and join it. You can remove people and even lock a room if you don’t want anyone else to enter. 

“Messenger Rooms is rolling out in some countries this week and will expand to the rest of the world in coming weeks.”