Almost every tech website in the world has been buzzing with news about the metaverse for the last year. Like all new technologies, the metaverse isn’t properly defined yet, and it’s a work in progress. The trajectory of its evolution can change at any moment.
What Is the Metaverse?
The metaverse will be whatever people want it to be, but for now, it’s a platform that supports virtual worlds and economies. Cryptocurrency already has a space in the metaverse, and many virtual worlds and office spaces are popping up daily. Very few people are using these platforms yet, but they’re out there and include the following:Horizon Worlds
- Silks NFTs
- Second Life
- Roblox
- Decentraland
- AXIE Infinity
Some of these spaces focus on simple gaming and virtual world-building, others focus on NFTs and cryptocurrencies, and others do a little of everything. With a limited range of worlds to explore, it’s easy to get stuck in one world for a while to see what the metaverse is like. Nevertheless, these are the early spaces that compose a world that might rapidly expand over the next few years.
How to Reach the Metaverse
The average internet user isn’t quite sure where the metaverse is or how to enter the metaverse. This is similar to the early web’s lack of structure. Before search engines, there were directories of websites. Not many folks visited them or even knew they existed. Even early, Amazon wasn’t readily accessible to the average computer user. They didn’t know it was there.
Unlike the internet, most people use VR (Virtual Reality) devices to access the metaverse. This includes Meta’s Oculus Quest 2. Once you’ve got the headset on, it’s time to travel to your favorite Metaverse spots. While there might be none, know you’re a brave pioneer exploring new technology. Like the early internet and URLs, you might not always know where you’re going. But that’s part of the fun.
Some areas of the metaverse don’t need a VR headset to be accessed. Most people prefer the full VR experience because it’s closer to the original vision for the metaverse. Still, if you’re just curious about this new place, you can sometimes access platforms using the plain old internet. It’ll give you a brief glimpse into what’s happening in this strange new land.
The Implications of Metaverse and VR Technology
Even more important than how to get to the metaverse is how to enjoy or build upon it. Since not many folks are involved in experience creation here, there’s a lot of room for creative companies and people to add their virtual worlds to the landscape. Consider this a world that everyone is building together. Will it be better than the world of reality we live in today?
1. The Avatar
In today’s metaverse, you’ll have an avatar that travels about and experiences the worlds that others are building. If you’re a developer or know how to program this type of world, you can build your stores here or meet up with people you know at favorite spots. Your avatar will play a big part in everything you do. It’s you.
2. The Workspace Potential
Many people are being introduced to the metaverse through their careers. When Meta’s VR headsets first came out, they encouraged VR/metaverse office meetings. This didn’t take off quite how they wanted, but businesses still use this tech to conduct work meetings.
3. Creative Time Travel
One possible use case for the metaverse is to educate people about the past or give them a gateway to experience certain moments from the past. How this differs from just watching a simple documentary online depends on how the technology evolves from here. For example, we’re great at recreating sight and auditory experiences, but we still don’t have a VR headset capable of duplicating even simple sensations of touch and smell. As the technology gets better, time travel metaverse experiences could be possible.
4. Adventurous New Worlds
The modern metaverse builders assume that people want to be themselves in this new space. In other words, current builders think practically. How do we accomplish the things we do in daily life on a VR headset? Many people might be looking for something else from the metaverse. In other words, we don’t want to experience what we already experience; we want to experience what we’ve never experienced and go where we can’t in real life.
The Bottom Line
The metaverse and virtual reality technology have come a long way lately, and these platforms have vast potential. From virtual offices and gaming to NFTs and real estate, people are already finding innovative ways to use the metaverse. And with education and training as another potential application, the possibilities for the metaverse are endless.
As more developers and companies invest in this technology, we expect to see more exciting advancements and applications soon. So, whether you are a business owner, gamer, or simply curious about the future of technology, the metaverse is an area worth exploring. So, immerse yourself in the next generation of digital experiences!
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.