The Age of the Metaverse
Virtual worlds have been around since the first video games were released. As technology developed over time and bigger worlds could be created, developers aimed to mimic and improve upon the real world we’re all part of.
One of the first attempts was Second Life, an online multiplayer game. Many others followed suit, and recently the term “metaverse” has attracted much attention. Even though it may seem this word is closely connected to the blockchain, even non-decentralized software companies use it in their branding.
Let’s first define the term.
What is a Metaverse?
The word metaverse was first used in 1992 in the novel Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. The word referred to a world where people could forget about their reality and live in one of their own choosing.
The book, and later the movie Ready Player One by Ernest Cline also explored this idea. A user would take a special headset, put on gloves, and enter the metaverse. It was often a stark contrast to the reality in which the player was living, allowing one to relax in a completely new world without having to travel outside one’s own flat.
As it is currently used, the term metaverse refers to a virtual world created for people to interact in. Whether it’s through the use of a virtual reality headset or augmented reality sunglasses, the goal is to foster human relationships on a completely different level.
Although the first mentions of metaverses were fictional, our world is already full of ones that have become functional.
Metaverse Examples
Even though we still aren’t close to the worlds depicted by Neal Stephenson and Ernest Cline, there are already some metaverses that show potential for that kind of virtual reality. Here are the three we find the most interesting.
Horizon Worlds
Even though Mark Zuckerberg’s project has faced numerous criticisms and is far from the ideal virtual reality environment (indeed, there are free alternatives such as VRchat that achieve a similar goal), Meta is still one of the biggest software companies in the world.
The feedback they’ve received on Horizon Worlds might give the company ideas to change the product into a full-fledged virtual reality others can enjoy.
Fortnite
The global phenomenon of this multiplayer game is noticeable everywhere. There are toys from the game in stores, people are recreating dances from the game, and even the music industry has taken notice. Artists like Ariana Grande and Travis Scott have already performed concerts inside the Fortnite world.
And the interest in Fortnite doesn’t seem to be slowing down, as more and more money is being invested in the game’s metaverse component of interacting with others.
Decentraland
The last entry on this list is rooted in the world of blockchain. By integrating NFTs and a cryptocurrency based on the Ethereum network, users of Decentraland can buy and trade assets in the virtual world.
Many companies have already bought virtual real estate in Decentraland to bring their ideas to life. Having a stake in this virtual world provides companies with a place to interact with potential clients while consolidating their advertising efforts. This again fosters human connection in a virtual world.
With promising sites such as these currently available, what will tomorrow bring to this still-novel industry?
The Future of the Metaverse
The sites listed above already bring a lot of utility to the users. In the case of Meta’s Horizon Worlds, the platform combines a social media platform with avatars for interacting with others. Fortnite brings healthy competition and the ability to participate in concerts taking place in a virtual world. Decentraland combines blockchain tech with a virtual world, creating assets to be acquired and a whole new market for digital creation.
However, these are just the first attempts to create an interactive reality that we can call a second home. There are still many drawbacks, bugs, and interface problems that present a high barrier of entry to users willing to experiment.
We hope that with the advancement of blockchain technology and improvement of the existing worlds, we’ll be finally able to experience a virtual reality similar to ours, or even an improved one, without any roadblocks. That is the metaverse future we’re looking forward to.
It’s also one we’d like to create with all the startups we’ll incubate in the future. If you’d like to be one of them, head over to our website and sign up to be one of the first projects we reach out to.
