Enter The Metaverse

“What is The Matrix?” This question that was popularized at the turn of the new millennium; through the 1999 movie, The Matrix, has found a new iteration in the metaverse. Tech giants like Microsoft and Facebook had been using the term “metaverse”; to describe the next frontier of the internet and online interconnectivity. But what is it exactly? How will it impact the way we use the internet? How can we prepare for it?

What is the metaverse?

We can trace the origins of the word, metaverse, in the 1992 science fiction novel, Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson. In the novel, the Metaverse is a virtual world that people can access; by connecting to the “worldwide fiber optics network” while wearing goggles where the images are projected.

There they can buy virtual real estate, create their virtual representation; socialize with other users, shop for virtual and real-world items, go on adventures, and more.

If you think about it, that definition from its inception has not changed; much to how the metaverse is taking shape today and the way we move on the internet.

It is still a digital universe where you can find digitized people.

You would find in the metaverse a virtual world that mimics the real world; in the sense that you move within a limited amount of space. This scarcity would mean that getting prime real estate is all about location, location, location. Businesses would want to be seen in hubs where people gather.

In social media, websites, and video chats, you would see a username, a thumbnail picture; or a live video feed but in the metaverse, you would find customized avatars; that perform actions like speaking or moving. Customizable avatars had been a feature in video games as far back as the ’90s; and they can now perform a greater variety of elaborate gestures.

Advances in virtual reality devices have likewise created more opportunities to interact in the metaverse. Head-tracking goggles, hand-tracking controllers, eye-trackers; and motion sensors are just some ways we can make our avatars move in the most interactive way.

It is a universe you share with people and companies.

The advances in virtual reality give one the feeling of being in an actual virtual space. You get the sense of being in a room with other people. They can react to and interact with your avatar, expressing a wide range of emotions.

And it’s not just people but also companies that you should expect to see in the metaverse. Travel to their office or business space in the metaverse and you will be able to interact with their employees in real-time instead of waiting for hours for customer support. Expect advertising to be off the charts as well. Expect posters and multimedia ads in the metaverse.

Recently, media consolidation and collaborations through crossover events have been gaining a lot of attention. The online game Fortnite, for example, had crossover events with Disney, DC Comics, the Halo game series, the NFL, Stranger Things, and many more. Fortnite has even served as the stage for music artists like Travis Scott and Ariana Grande who had their concert in the game.

And it is a universe where you buy, own, and use digital properties.

The metaverse will be a space where you can own virtual properties. Since companies are entering the metaverse, expect that they will be creating and selling digital items; that you can use to decorate your virtual space. This reminds us of one of the selling points of Farmville; where decorating has transcended being just a feature to a form of competition.

And who’s to say that real-world properties and services cannot be sold in the metaverse? Of course, it will be available as well. Companies will surely setup shop in the metaverse.

Are you ready for the metaverse?

With many tech companies investing heavily in developing and marketing the metaverse, people get the feeling of urgency and that nagging fear of missing out (FOMO). Having access to technologies that are augmented reality and virtual reality capable would seem like the right choice but; since the metaverse is still in its infancy; companies will play it smart by letting people use the devices they already have like computers and cellphones.

Connectivity will also be an issue as the metaverse will be heavily reliant on high-speed internet which the coming rollout of 5G internet promises to address. Likewise, companies will need to provide security, privacy, and data protection for their users.

The metaverse may seem unusual for many but it had its test run in many IPs; where it has proven to be popular and successful.

It will need a few more years to be fully realized; but it is here to stay so we better get on board.

Take a look at the following videos to learn more about The Metaverse

What is Microsoft’s Metaverse?