Metaverse… What a term!
The meaning of the word metaverse is “beyond” or “after the universe”, “transcending”.
It is not clear what the Metaverse will look like, since we don’t have one ready yet.
We still find online MMO games, online platforms that were not as successful as they might have been under different circumstances (Second Life), social media websites, with gamification involved, and the current state of VR, which wasn’t as successful as expected either.
Another technology close to VR is Augmented Reality (AR), which is rapidly developing and will find a use case even in modern warfare.
All the above combined in a unique, user-friendly, and addicting approach will become the Metaverse. Or, “a” Metaverse, since most possibly there won’t be only one.
Unless we consider all gaming corporations will simply allow Zuckerberg to create and operate the only Metaverse that will ever exist.
Why only one Metaverse, though?
Almost every article on the subject, refers to the Metaverse as the new internet. The news acknowledges the Metaverse as an isolated technology that would be standing alone but this is not exactly right.
It is not presented as a concept that unites elements running on the internet and combines more technologies, but mostly as an infrastructure network of its own, with the assumption there will only be just one Metaverse!
The internet is a communications technology that connects the world in a visual and audio approach. It needs infrastructure, though. The Metaverse will just run on top of the internet and this infrastructure, but it doesn’t need more fiber optic cables installations,routers, and ISPs managing traffic. It is unrelated to such infrastructure and possibly the only required hardware will be a VR set.
We can use a desktop computer even for 10–15 hours. Are we able to do the same with a VR set every day?
Even a VR headset won’t be necessary. It will just be interconnected and interoperable apps working together in a 3D environment.
Before the Internet we were already connected in with audio telecommunications and already using computer technology. The internet combined these two technologies and connected us in visual form.
The Metaverse will be a 3D world delivering interoperability. A platform where email services, banks and any kind of platforms will connect, and depending on each Metaverse, maybe cryptocurrency wallets as well.
As Facebook wasn’t the only social media available, the same will be with the Metaverse. There will be plenty of them.
in its beginnings it will present a life-simulation platform similar to “Second Life” with various options to select which game to play by entering a certain zone.
However as it grows the metaverse will include additions that will eventually integrate most of the internet domains, operating inside a 3D world.
Decentraland
Decentraland is a crude Metaverse. Probably it won’t be representative of what the future has in store for us, though.
After years of development, Decentraland is not progressing as much as initially expected. The team behind it had plans for VR support, but scrapped them or delayed.
This 3D world partially uses the Ethereum blockchain to transmit transactions of NFTs, such as items, avatars, usernames, and land. It is a Web3.0 platfomr (website) that connects with various networks using the Metamask wallet. It doesn’t use a blockchain to operate, but the 3D Universe of Decentraland is running on centralized servers. It won’t be possible to have any platform running entirely on a blockchain at least for a while.
A Multiverse of Metaverses
There will be plenty of metaverses, not just one. Apple, Google, Nintendo, Ubisoft, and almost every gaming corporation will try to create their version of the Metaverse.
It will eventually be a Multiverse of Metaverses, and the public will select which will be worth more. Maybe they will all be connected together and we will be jumping from one Metaverse to another without much hussle.
The Metaverse is not another layer on top of the internet. It is not a communications technology either, though. It is a combination of technologies that we already have available (a 3D world with avatars, social media, email) added with anything that could interoperate with this virtual world (e-banking, trading platforms, entertainment, online concerts, movies, theaters).
Moreover, it is supposed to contain technologies that have not yet evolved to the degree they can support it. AI is an example, a technology that has progressed remarkably, but probably not to the extent it can assist the Metaverse yet.
Ready Player One
The movie Ready Player One is possibly what the gaming industry should be aiming for. Ready Player One gives the perfect example of what a Metaverse might be, although it focuses too much on the gaming factor.
Inside a Metaverse, users can work from home or have a relaxing time hanging with friends at an online cafe, visit entertainment locations that could be free or asking for payments, and this is just a few of the possible interactions we will find.
There are endless possibilities, and this was the reason Meta uses the infinite symbol as its logo.
Facebook's vision:
In Conclusion
VR/AR will be a central point in the concept of Metaverse. However, there are fundamental technological difficulties for this concept to succeed in the near term.
Technology is rapidly evolving, and perhaps we may find a different Metaverse, perhaps one with the use of hologram screens instead of the LCD/LED or VR technology we enjoy today.
A Metaverse is not a new communications system, and it will certainly not replace the internet as the media suggest but will use the internet without requiring special infrastructure.
After Facebook disclosed its rebranding into Meta and its plans of building the Metaverse, we should expect new announcements from the rest industry leaders.
There will be many more attempts since the concept, as theoretically discussed so far, seems to have unlimited possibilities and it certainly can create a vast digital economy.
Equally important is the inevitable use of NFTs in any Metaverse. The protocol of NFTs provides the absolute right of ownership for digital assets and presents one of the best developments the blockchain/cryptocurrency industry has produced so far.
The era of the gaming/developing corporation owning every digital asset in a platform will soon be over. The entertainment sector must acknowledge the fact it is selling individual rights of digital property to its customers. Only then a real virtual economy in the entertainment and gaming sector can reach its maximum potential. The Metaverse will represent real life conditions, so it is better for all participants to offer digital ownership rights to the users.
Lead Image From: Unsplash, by Steve Johnson
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Ohh ohh I noticed few days ago whenever I wants to open my Facebook it brings “FROM META” at the button I don’t know if you’re also seeing that. It’s like the Metaverse isn’t going to benefit everyone because me myself I don’t like the idea of wearing VR headset because I’m not going to feel comfortable with it.