The Metaverse: The Next Stage in the Internet’s Evolution and Our New Reality
The metaverse from a philosophical and technological point of view
The metaverse is currently one of the most fascinating and divisive topics in technology. The concept of a fully immersive, interactive and social virtual reality in which we could spend lots of our time for entertainment, socializing or work is truly mind-bending but also frightening to many. At the moment, some of the most debated questions related to the metaverse are these: What should the metaverse be like and who will decide how it works? How will our identity, lifestyle and behavior change as we spend more time in these virtual worlds? How far in time are we from a true metaverse?
Virtual realities in the past and the present
The idea of virtual realities is nothing new. Philosophers have wondered for centuries about how we can define reality and the differences between physical and perceived realities. Huge numbers of science fiction books like Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson or Neuromancer by William Gibson and movies like The Matrix or Ready Player One explore the idea of existing in a virtual reality. Video games and other computer-generated realities you can get lost in for hours have also been around for several decades now.
So what’s new? It’s the technology for constructing virtual worlds, and it is well on the way. The most amazing thing is that technological developments have started to make virtual realities not only possible but available to basically anyone with a computer. Take Second Life, for example, which was the first platform outside the gaming world in which you have no limits to what you can build and where you can go. Second Life is outstanding for another reason too: it was the first to allow users to become authors of a virtual world. Virtual Reality (VR) headsets are another milestone. They are available to us all, and they can make virtual worlds as immersive as they can be today. Finally, the most current technology is shaping the metaverse which connects the physical and virtual world. It brings people together to interact and create in a shared virtual environment. You can build avatars to represent your personal identity, interact with people and brands, buy and sell virtual property, build and promote your business, etc.
How harmful or meaningful is the metaverse?
Many people have doubts. There are some who believe the metaverse is a speculative business venture. They assume the metaverse will be created by tech giants who will be eager to increase their profits by exploiting our personal data. Another common argument against the metaverse is its impact on who we are and how we behave. Will the metaverse increase addiction to technology? Will it reduce or eventually eliminate our need for face-to-face human interaction? Will it cause depression and mental problems? You can find many articles on these topics. However, we’d like to focus on a point of view which is less common but just as valid.
“Virtual reality is genuine reality”, says David Chalmers, Professor of Philosophy and Neural Science at NYU and author of the book Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy. He argues that virtual realities will with time become indistinguishable from what we call the real world and they will allow us to live fulfilling, happy lives.
This may sound like a bold statement, especially because there is a long-standing belief that virtual reality must be some sort of delusion, hallucination, or fiction which isn’t actually real. Chalmers proposes the contrary. Virtual reality may not be the same as physical reality, still, it is on par with it on a fundamental level: it is just as real and has the same potential for improvement.
Are virtual reality experiences just instances of escapism? Many users of Second Life, Decentraland or The Sandbox would probably disagree and say that they are an important, meaningful part of their life. Chalmers also thinks that the advancement of technology will allow us to become more and more intimately connected to these virtual worlds and in ways that are similar to how we’re connected to the physical world.
What should the metaverse be like?
In an ideal metaverse, you could do everything you can do in real life. Some of the obvious requirements are our need to see and hear everything with the same fidelity and resolution as in physical reality. There’s also the need for the ability to smell, taste or feel the position of our limbs in space. The ultimate goal would be to perceive all human interactions as they are in the real world.
The technology we have at hand right now cannot do these things for us. But imagine what can happen in 10–20 years from now. It is quite believable that we may develop computer interfaces in our brain that allow virtual worlds to communicate directly with our brain’s representation of our bodies and let us experience bodily sensations even if they aren’t actually occurring in our physical environment. Chalmers makes another apt point: our avatars already have digital bodies. Of course, they are more basic than our actual bodies, but they are constantly improving.
We must admit that with Web3 and the metaverse the above utopian or idealized view may soon become a reality.
The current state of the metaverse
The metaverse is still in its early stages and it’s exciting to follow the news about its evolution. Both tech giants and startups are busy developing technologies that can power immersive virtual worlds. There are also many companies that already promote their platforms as a metaverse.
One of the most hyped ones is Meta (formerly Facebook), which is still under construction and we only have information about what it’s envisioned to be. This metaverse is planned to make connecting with people easier and feeling closer to them even when you aren’t in the same physical space. Besides connecting, you’ll also be able to work, play and learn together in this metaverse.
Some other most prominent ones are Decentraland and The Sandbox. They are still in testing phases and far from being fully built but both of these metaverses have an engaged community of players who are shaping these worlds. We’d also like to mention a ground-breaking metaverse, AlphaVerse, which is the first metaverse that will connect many different metaverses.
So let’s take a quick look at what you can do in them and understand what the metaverses of today can offer to players.
The Sandbox
The Sandbox consists of plots of land where landowners can create, own and monetize a variety of experiences. These experiences include games, events, contests and other adventures. Plus, all the experiences available on the platform are user-generated content: it’s the users themselves who create them.
You can play The Sandbox for free but to become a landowner you will need to buy a plot of land. The number of lands is limited to 166,464, and there will never be more of them so there’s a lot of competition for the lands. The cheapest plots cost 2 ETH (cc. $2500) at the time of writing (August 2022).
The Sandbox may look similar to Minecraft and Roblox on a first impression but there’s a fundamental difference. The Sandbox is created on the blockchain and all the assets available within the game, like avatars, in-game assets, tools, weapons, lands and all the structures on them, are Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). This means you’re the true owner of your assets.
The Sandbox has built up a devoted community. It has also secured some massive partnerships with prominent brands and individuals. Those include Snoop Dog, Dead Mouse, Stephen Curry, The Walking Dead and companies like Adidas and Binance that have purchased lands in The Sandbox.
Decentraland
Decentraland is a shared virtual world on the blockchain owned and operated by a global network of players. Decentraland is a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) which means that it is governed by those who own a piece of this metaverse. In-game token holders and property owners have the right to vote on policies within this metaverse.
In Decentraland you can do pretty much the same things as in The Sandbox: you can buy and sell digital real estate like lands and structures on them, while exploring, interacting and playing games within this virtual world. On your plot of land you can build whatever you want. You have full control over the environments and experiences you design. These may include anything from static 3D scenery to interactive applications and games.
The number of lands in Decentraland is limited to 90,601. Due to their limited nature, lands in Decentraland are in high demand. The average price for a parcel of land is $3000 currently.
Decentraland is backed by investors like Animoca Brands, Digital Currency Group, Kenetic Capital, FBG Capital, CoinFund and partners like Samsung, Cyberpunk, Polygon and even the South Korean Government.
AlphaVerse, the first metaverse connecting different universes
The AlphaVerse is in some ways similar to The Sandbox and Decentraland and in other ways quite different.
It is outstanding because it is the first metaverse on the blockchain that goes beyond a single-universe experience and connects various other metaverses or universes. Players can move seamlessly from one universe to another using the same username and wallet. Each universe has a distinct aesthetic and offers a different experience. You can access all of them from a central location in AlphaVerse which is called the Hub.
The Hub is like a vibrant city center full of entertainment opportunities. You can meet up and chat with friends at your favorite locations. As you walk the streets and explore the buildings, you’ll find mini-games and activities. You can go to the cinema and watch a movie or visit shops where you can buy and trade NFTs. And there’s a lot more as the Hub is constantly growing.
The universes in AlphaVerse are also made up of plots of land where you can set up your home, organization or business. As the owner of a land, you have full control over its design, appearance, decoration and display of content. You can also make it private or public.
Some of the metaverses in AlphaVerse are developed by AlphaVerse and some by its partners. Here is a short list of universes you’ll find in AlphaVerse:
- MetaCoaster: The play-to-earn Roller Coaster simulation game on the blockchain. Play solo to hone your skills or partake in the worldwide park-building competition and earn crypto.
- Beat AlphaVerse: A universe dedicated to electronic music and charity. The home of renowned DJ and music producer, David Guetta and his “United at Home” charity program in the metaverse.
- HorYou AlphaVerse: The metaverse dedicated to social good, sustainability and combating climate change. Built in partnership with the Horyou social network and the Horyou Foundation.
- Qtopia AlphaVerse: A social metaverse for the LGBTQ community and its allies providing an enhanced experience for people to connect with one another and the brands they trust. In Qtopia, users can participate in activities, events, and mini-games while also giving back to charities that are meaningful to the community.
- Artech AlphaVerse: Nostalgics of digital works will find their home in Artech. Artech is a metaverse entirely dedicated to digital art and artists, where we’re creating a whole digital art ecosystem with artists, galleries, events and exhibitions through the use of NFTs and blockchain technology.
- Chi Modu AlphaVerse: This metaverse provides a virtual space dedicated to the life and work of Chi Modu, a legendary photographer, where upcoming artists can find inspiration and resources to pursue their dream while giving back to the community.
- Xave World: Xave AlphaVerse immerses the user in an open virtual world in constant expansion and evolution, where music fans are discovering a new world full of music, incredible shows, festivals, and events.
- Rave-Age AlphaVerse: A metaverse devoted to rave and electronic music culture, its history, community, key figures, and the latest industry news.
- Apex AlphaVerse: A digital animal sanctuary where the public can buy digital artworks (NFTs) based on powerful animals, both living and extinct.
AlphaVerse is constantly expanding so the above list is expected to grow even more with more metaverses added any time soon.
Read more about what sets AlphaVerse apart from all the other metaverses here.
Final thoughts
As you can see, the metaverses of today are already lots of fun and have a lot of potential. They are exciting places to visit, hang out at, meet people, play or do business. Citizens of contemporary metaverses consider these virtual realities to be a meaningful part of their life, which is much more than escapism. Still, we have a long way to go until we develop and implement new technologies that can power a true metaverse, one that resembles physical reality. Until then, anyone who feels excited about these technological milestones and developments and the creation of new virtual realities is invited to join AlphaVerse.
Stay tuned and keep up with the top metaverse trends.
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