After Facebook changed its corporate name to Meta in October 2021, everyone became interested in what is behind the concept of metauniverses. They have different forms: from games to places for business meetings. Metaverses are considered the next evolution of the Internet. This concept can be described as a network of 3D virtual worlds that uses VR and AR technologies to build social connection.
The concept of a metaverse is not new. It was first described in the novel “Snow Crash” in 1992. This story was rather a dystopian view of the future and the metauniverse in it was not considered something positive. Author Neal Stevenson coined the term “metaverse” to describe, in some sense, a new generation Internet based on virtual reality. One way to achieve status in Stevenson’s metaverse was through technical prowess, which was represented by the sophistication of the user’s avatar.
Later, several companies developed online communities based on this idea, including Second Life , released in 2003. Second Life is an online world in which users (residents) create virtual selves, called avatars, and interact with other participants, places, or objects. In Second Life, residents can attend social gatherings, live concerts, press conferences, and even college classes. In this world, there is a digital currency that can be used to buy land, clothes and gadgets.
They can also do things that are impossible in the real world – avatars fly or teleport to almost any place. Some residents develop short programs, called scripts, that give avatars or objects new capabilities, such as special animations or the ability to generate copies of other objects.
Ernest Cline’s novel Let the First Player Get Ready also helped popularize the idea of a metauniverse. Later, a film directed by Steven Spielberg was made based on his motives. The 2011 dystopian sci-fi novel is set in the year 2045 as humans escape the problems plaguing Earth in a virtual world called the Oasis. Users access the world through virtual reality glasses and haptic gloves that allow them to touch objects in a digital environment.
🛸 The difference between the Internet, games and the metaverse
Many companies have begun to position their products as metaverses to attract new audiences. For example, World of Warcraft is a persistent virtual world where players can buy and sell goods. Fortnite has virtual concerts and exhibitions. But does that really mean “metauniverse”? Answer: both yes and no. Even if you spend a lot of time in Fortnite socializing, buying stuff, learning and playing, it doesn’t necessarily translate to the concept of a metauniverse.
This is because such a world requires companies to cooperate, which is simply not profitable – Fortnite has no particular incentive to give players a portal to teleport directly to World of Warcraft , even if it were easy to do so. Also, such movements require incredible computing power, which is difficult to implement technically.
It is precisely because the creation of a real metauniverse is a rather complex process that companies call any game or platform a metauniverse. From VR to a video game, everything would be considered a “metaverse.” So it is difficult to put the metauniverse in a certain framework, because everyone defines for himself what to call a metauniverse.
As for the Internet, once online, users can communicate with each other, browse and interact with websites, and buy and sell goods and services. In the metaverse, users traverse a virtual world that mimics aspects of the physical world using technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), social media, and digital currency. The Internet is what people browse, and in the metaverse they can “live” in a way.
😍 The most famous metauniverses in 2022
Decentraland is a single-layer metaworld platform divided at the grid level. Each individual coordinate is called a ground. The supply of land is limited and only the community has the power to create more land through the Decentraland DAO (decision making tool for landowners and MANA). MANA is the in-game currency.
Decentraland allows users to place 3D models in space using a drag-and-drop tool. For professionals, Decentraland offers an SDK tool for creating interactive content: users can import 3D models into Decentraland and code advanced apps, games, and animations. Decentraland is a global network based on Ethereum. In addition to being one of the largest, it is also one of the oldest crypto metauniverses, reigning since 2015.
The crypto universe is a virtual world based on the blockchain, which includes digital currencies, smart contracts, crypto exchanges and all the supporting services created to work with them.
The SandBox is a single layer of the Metaverse spread evenly across the grid. All plots are the same size and users can combine them to expand the area. Land in The SandBox is auctioned and can be bought with the SAND currency available on Binance.
In addition, this metauniverse has one of the largest markets for NFTs, offering a wide variety of in-game assets and collectibles. The prospects for the success of the gaming platform as a metauniverse are very high.
Sandbox Game Maker Alpha is a free game development software that allows you to create 3D worlds from templates and accelerate game development.
Fortnite is now not just a video game, but a whole metauniverse with virtual music events and dance parties. On April 24, 2022, Travis Scott held a concert on the platform, which shows the scale and success of this metaverse.
Cryptovoxels is a metaworld platform built on the Ethereum blockchain protocol that offers a VR-enabled virtual game world for PC use where its community organizes regular events for users. In addition to virtual land, the platform also offers a large marketplace for buying and selling digital collectibles.
Somnium Space is a cross-device metaworld platform that users can access via VR, PC, web, and mobile interfaces. It is built on the Ethereum and Solana blockchain protocols and has its own asset market. Users need to install the MetaMask or Dapper extension before running Somnium Space, but it’s relatively easy to use and doesn’t require a VR headset to use all the features.
Somnium Space has several unique features that make it stand out in a competitive market. For example, users can choose to “live forever”, where they automatically record themselves on their virtual property for further analysis by artificial intelligence. Even when users can no longer access the platform, AI will bring their avatars to life. Somnium is also a fully scripted world, allowing users to program their own experiences and develop monetizable assets.
🧐 What role do NFTs play in metauniverses?
We’ve touched on the subject of NFTs in metaworlds a bit, so let’s discuss their role in more detail. NFTs are a secure type of digital asset based on the same blockchain technology used for cryptocurrencies.
An NFT can represent a piece of art, a song, or digital real estate. The owner receives a digital document or proof of ownership of the NFT that can be bought or sold in the metaverse. Therefore, non-fungible tokens are very popular, especially after the successful rise of this market in 2021.
Metaverse Properties has announced itself as the world’s first virtual real estate company. The company acts as an agent to facilitate the purchase or lease of real estate or land in several metauniverses, including Decentraland, The Sandbox, and Somnium Space. Metaverse Properties also offers meeting rooms, commercial spaces, art galleries, family homes and “party venues”.
The metaverse has created opportunities for new companies like Metaverse Properties as well as established businesses. For example, Nike acquired RTFKT, a startup that makes unique virtual sneakers and digital artifacts using NFTs, blockchain authentication, and augmented reality.
Prior to the acquisition, Nike filed seven trademark applications to create and sell virtual sneakers and apparel. Nike and Roblox are also collaborating on “Nikeland,” a digital world where Nike fans can play games, chat, and dress up their avatars in virtual apparel from the brand. NFTs and blockchain lay the foundation for digital property.
🧩 What is the future of metauniverses?
In his annual overview blog , Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates noted that most people don’t have the VR goggles and motion capture gloves to accurately capture their facial expressions, body language and voice quality. However, Gates predicts that within the next two to three years, most meetings will move into the metaverse into a virtual format.
The basic idea of being able to work in a virtual online world has existed for many years, but the path to true metauniverses where real interactions are possible will take many years.
The metaverse could become a huge factor in the growth of the virtual economy, which depends on video games and virtual worlds. With big players like Meta entering the metaspace and confidently saying that this is the future, it’s only a matter of time before we see other organizations follow suit. This can lead to an exponential expansion of the boundaries of the metaverse and gigantic amounts of value.
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