[Let’s get on the Metaverse] 3. Status of the global Metaverse market

global metaverse present condition

metaverse technology trend

metaverse-based communication

collaboration based on metaverse

A Case of Metabus Introduction by a Company

At the end of the Metaverse series,

Before we get down to business, I’d like to share with you the answer to an interesting question I asked ChatGPT.

“These days, the popularity of ChatGPT is so great. Do you think that’s cooling the heat of Metaverse?”

ChatGPT replied, “Well, I’m not sure what you mean.

“There is no personal opinion or feeling as an artificial intelligence (AI) language model, but I can say that ‘metaverse’ is a concept that has received much attention in the technology and technology world in recent years.,However, since Metaverse is still a relatively new concept and development and adoption is underway, it is difficult to predict whether interest in Metaverse will cool down. Metaverse has generated a lot of buzz and interest from tech giants, investors and consumers alike.,Some companies have already begun investing in developing technologies to create virtual worlds and make Metaverse a reality, while others are still exploring the potential of the concept; it is worth noting that Metaverse is still in its infancy.,There are many challenges and obstacles that need to be overcome before they become mainstream phenomena; these challenges include issues related to privacy, security, accessibility, and interoperability in particular; overall, it’s hard to say whether the excitement about metaverse is cooling down.,But it’s clear that this concept captures the imagination of many, and we will likely continue to see progress in this area in the future.”

I asked the same question again for a certain amount of time, and the chat GPT was a little different, but gave a similar answer.

“As an AI language model, you can’t experience enthusiasm or coolness because you don’t have personal feelings. But as Metaverse continues to evolve and expand, ChatGPT and other AI technologies are likely to become more integrated into this virtual world.,In summary, while the chatGPT craze does not directly affect Metaverse, as Metaverse continues to evolve, AI technologies such as ChatGPT are likely to become increasingly important in facilitating interaction and improving the user experience.”

I was first surprised and sympathetic to this clear answer from ChatGPT, which is neither short nor long. On the other hand, I was worried that this AI could replace many of the things we have to do.

What do you think of this advanced AI? Of course, the current chatGPT cannot be said to reflect the latest trends in responding based on text until September 2021, but it is considered to be sufficiently relevant in a large framework.

Metaverse technology continues to evolve today, and the market for it is growing.,According to a recent report by market research firm Statista, 15% of the digital economy has already moved to Metaverse, and it predicts that users will reach 700 million by 2030.,It also predicted that by 2030, the largest segments of revenue will be gaming ($163 billion) and e-commerce ($201 billion).

Metabus platforms are categorized according to their characteristics, but in this article, I will divide them into ‘business’ and ‘non-business’ platforms to help readers’ business thinking and utilization.,In particular, various business metabus platforms have been released around the world in the wake of COVID-19, but some of them are introduced.

First, it is an example of non-business. Most commonly known meta-bus platforms are not too difficult to see as non-business.,It is also because it strongly implies game or entertainment elements and promotes / markets for general users.

Typical gaming social platforms include Roblox, Minecraft, The Sandbox, and Decentraland.,Roblox secured more than 56 million daily global users in 2022, up 23 percent year-over-year.

Similar domestic social platforms include NaverJet’s “ZEPETO” and SK Telecom’s “ifland.”,The commonality of these platforms is that the main users are children and adolescents, and users can participate in content creation and generate revenue by sharing them.

Next, there are several platforms that fall into the middle of business and non-business: “Gather.town” is a prime example.,In March 2020, Gather switched businesses (Pivot) and launched GatherTown, which is reminiscent of an 8-bit 2D arcade game: a social metaverse platform that supports various aspects of community, play, and work with top-view graphics.

The advantage of Gathertown is that you can configure 2D virtual space directly using various built-in objects, and you can easily access it with a web browser without installing a separate app.,Gather launched Gathertown when it needed a non-face-to-face solution due to COVID-19, gaining more than 4 million users and 2.3 trillion won in corporate value within a year of its launch, and has accumulated 84.7 billion won in investment attraction so far.,Similar domestic platforms include ‘ZEP’, ‘Second Block’, and ‘Meet Page’.

On the other hand, Metabus platforms that belong to complete business use include ‘Sococo’, ‘Kumospace’, ‘Ovice’, and ‘Joycollab’.,The commonality of these platforms is that they provide simplified avatars to easily understand the current status of members based on a two-dimensional virtual office for communication and collaboration among various organizations such as corporations, organizations, and organizations.

Unlike most metaverse platform companies established around COVID-19, Sococo was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA.,Featuring a variety of virtual spaces and simple avatars that look like colored beans to make it easier to grasp the current state, it provides functions such as video, chat, and document sharing.

CumoSpace, a U.S. startup, was founded in New York in 2020 and has attracted a cumulative $28 million ( 36 billion) in investments; unlike other platforms, it requires an application (app) to be accessed after installation, rather than a web browser access.,Virtual offices can be configured directly using a variety of objects similar to real office landscapes, and provide access, analysis and security based on pricing.

Orbis established its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, in February 2020, following the COVID-19, and launched its first service in August of the same year. Currently, it is known to have secured more than 2,200 member companies and attracted a cumulative investment of KRW 63 billion.,Specialized features include setting the spatial access range so that the sound becomes larger or smaller depending on the distance between the circular image avatars.,Orbis is marketing in the office, educational, and event markets, and operates a pricing policy that limits concurrent users according to the size of the virtual space.

Joey Collap provides a virtual office for communication and collaboration among organizations such as corporations and organizations. Starting with domestic beta service in December 2021, we have been providing formal cloud service since May last year.,Joey Colap was developed with Unity engine and Web GL technology, but it is also easily accessible with a web browser, offering a variety of self-configurable office themes and circular image avatars.,There are also various communication tools, collaboration functions such as work sharing, calendar, and canvas board, and attendance management functions.

Zigbang’s Soma, a 3D metaverse office platform that is differentiated from the aforementioned 2D platform, is accessible through PC and mobile apps, providing 3D building backgrounds, offices, and avatars, and recently added features such as avatar gestures and fast mobility.,It features an image (needs a webcam) that appears on the face of a 3D avatar, and is suitable for companies that collaborate on real-time communication (image / voice).,Currently, about 30 companies including Lotte Shopping, Hour Home, Timon, Samsung SDS, and IEL Science have moved into Soma’s virtual office.,Zigbang has switched to a teleworking system for all employees since March 2020, and about 450 employees still maintain remote/teleworking.

In addition, it is a social metaverse platform that requires an AR (augmented reality) or VR (virtual reality) headset. It also includes Meta’s Horizon Worlds, Microsoft’s Mesh, Spatial, and Engage.,These platforms need hardware equipment such as VR headsets and AR glasses to feel more immersive; Meta’s Horizon World has about 200,000 monthly active users.,In addition to the current meta, Apple is also developing AR glass for the year 24, so it is expected to create a new wind if released.

According to the Market and Market Analysis Report ‘Metabus Market Forecast by 2027’, the size of the Metabus market is expected to grow at a rapid rate of 47.2% annually, from $ 61.8 billion (about 80 trillion won) in 2022 to $ 426.9 billion (555 trillion won) in 2027.,In general, Metaverse can be seen only as a game platform for play, events, and simple social dimensions. “There are various Metaverse platforms that are not covered in detail, and I want to say that they are getting more advanced.

As the spread of COVID-19 has slowed recently and the non-face-to-face situation has decreased, general interest in metaverse seems to have decreased somewhat.,However, along with the government’s steady transition to a digital society, interest in meta-buses by academia, industry, and creators is still increasing.

In February, the National Information and Communication Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) held a briefing session on the integration of the Metaverse industry in 2023 to explain various Metaverse-related support projects to be carried out this year. Numerous corporate officials attended the meeting.,I hope that this support will lead to the development of Korea’s meta-bus technology and the revitalization of the market. Just as the Korean Wave culture has spread to the world, I hope that Korea will lead the world in the meta-bus ecosystem.

Writing / Pitch Solution I started working as a representative software engineer and worked in the IT industry for about 15 years.,Since August 2009, we have been doing software-based B2B service business through several start-up start-ups. Currently, we are engaged in the development and service business of realistic collaboration platform based on virtual space and avatar.