We will look at the origins of the metaverse, how it can benefit businesses and individuals, and the hurdles it must overcome.
After reading this, you'll understand:
The term metaverse refers to digital spaces that emulate or expand upon the physical world, often by using a personal computer or a VR headset.
Pokemon Go is a good example of combining mobile devices and augmented reality to create a metaverse.
VR worlds let developers gather vast amounts of data about users, which might be sold to advertisers.
The metaverse is more of an aspiration than a reality at this point. However, it is seen as an immersive, virtual space that lets humans interact in ways that approximate how they interact in the real world. Tech giants like Facebook have expressed interest in these virtual worlds, but web3 projects still lead the charge.
This article will try to answer the question: What is the metaverse? We will describe its origins, how it can benefit businesses and individuals, and the hurdles it must overcome.
Early conceptual examples of the metaverse can be traced back to science fiction. For example, the 1992 novel "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson is partially set in a metaverse virtual environment. "Pygmalion's Spectacles" (1935) by Stanley G. Weinbaum is an earlier example of a sort of metaverse appearing in sci-fi tales. The protagonist, Dan Burke, explores a virtual world with a pair of goggles.
Many refer to Second Life, the 2003 virtual social media world, as the earliest example of the metaverse. Second Life lets users create digital avatars and interact with others in an online universe. The platform is still around today and has an estimated 500,000 monthly active users.
Massively multiplayer online role-playing games like World of Warcraft are arguably early examples of the metaverse. The World of Warcraft video game features a virtual fantasy world where thousands of players trade, battle, and adventure. Roblox and Minecraft are relatively early examples of decentralized metaverse applications, as they let users create and explore virtual worlds while interacting with others.
Augmented and virtual reality technologies let users access the metaverse as if it were real life. Popular metaverse platforms like Decentraland and Roblox incorporate VR technology, and others have suggested VR is on their roadmaps.
The term metaverse refers to digital spaces that emulate or expand upon the physical world. Those spaces are often accessed via a PC or VR headset. Still, mobile devices and augmented reality are other ways people can access the metaverse. Pokemon Go is an excellent example of combining mobile devices and AR to create the foundation for a real-world metaverse.
Blockchain technology has enhanced virtual experiences in the metaverse. It helps to create a standard for selling in-game items in exchange for virtual currency and creating an in-game digital economy. Projects can sell plots of land or valuable items as NFTs, and the players buying those items can trade them on the secondary market. Additionally, the blockchain enables the creation of trustless, decentralized metaverse technologies.
Virtual spaces are foundational elements for the metaverse. Most of these digital worlds feature synchronous events occurring in real-time for users and function as a continuous experience. Many web3 metaverse projects are open systems to which any user can contribute. For example, Decentraland lets players buy plots of virtual land and build whatever they want.
Most metaverse projects are, in essence, a form of social networking. As companies like Facebook venture into the metaverse space, we'll see more similarities between social networking sites and immersive virtual worlds. Meta's Horizons is a collaborative metaverse platform that features many of the same elements found on Facebook, such as profiles, likes, and sharing.
AR technologies let developers bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Games like Pokemon Go are already using AR to create real-world metaverse environments. John Hanke is the founder and CEO of Niantic, the tech company that makes Pokemon Go. He says: "We're building a future where the real world is overlaid with digital creations, entertainment and information, making it more magical, fun and informative."
The metaverse connects people worldwide, letting them interact in a manner that's more immersive than chatting online. This technology can support business meetings between stakeholders on opposite sides of the planet. Decentralized metaverse projects with digital economies allow people to trade with each other, regardless of their location.
Although Fortnite isn't a metaverse, its live events paint a picture of the future the metaverse could hold. Fortnite partnered with artists like Ariana Grande and Travis Scott for massive online concerts with immersive elements that many players experienced simultaneously. The metaverse will enable live events and shared experiences on a scale that games like Fortnite cannot achieve.
Businesses can use the metaverse to engage with their customers in new ways. For example, Gucci collaborated with Roblox to build a Gucci Gardens environment. They later created an immersive NFT marketplace in the Sandbox, an Ethereum-based metaverse platform.
Some meta platforms collect and store data from their users. Since the metaverse emulates the real world, this data can display virtual ads based on their interests. VR worlds let developers gather vast amounts of data, such as how you react to certain stimuli.
According to a 2021 study, "Facebook executives like CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Oculus executives, such as Chief Scientist Michael Abrash, have noted the company has clear ambitions to integrate more sophisticated forms of biometric tracking: hand tracking, facial expression and eye tracking ... and brain-computing interfaces."
These technologies would help Meta understand which in-game products users look at the most and whether they draw positive reactions. They could then sell this data to advertisers who can target you with advertising in and out of the metaverse.
Developers' ambitions of the metaverse existing as a digital home away from home would require supporting millions of users simultaneously. Significant advancements in networking infrastructure must be made before we see a metaverse environment at this scale.
Often, metaverse environments lack the graphics and processing capabilities for realistic, immersive experiences and epic games. Additionally, users may lack the resources to buy advanced technologies needed to experience realistic metaverse environments.
Users in Meta Horizons, Roblox, and other metaverse environments have reported being sexually harassed by other players. This is a common problem that most developers lack the resources to address in real time. According to the Center for Countering Digital Hate, abusive behavior occurs in Facebook's metaverse every seven minutes.
The metaverse will undoubtedly create new opportunities for people to interact and for businesses to engage with their customers. Still, we must overcome privacy concerns and technological limitations before the metaverse can scale.
The Hedera Foundation gave 195 grants in 2022, with metaverse applications making up roughly 28% of the grant recipients. Hedera's secure, carbon-negative network is ideal for virtual world creation. Both users and developers can benefit from low fees, fast finality, and EVM compatibility.