“Snow Crash” is a science fiction novel. Snow Crash was published in 1992, and the writer coins the term “metaverse” in it. In the book, the metaverse depicts the future world, an alternative 3D-connected reality that was an escape for rich people.
What is the metaverse?
The word metaverse is derived from combining the words “meta” and “universe.” It can be described as a 3D virtual world accessed through a digital space.
Metaverse showed the virtual and physical worlds connected from many perspectives. The term metaverse is turning into a buzzword on the internet nowadays. The metaverse is not about future technology or project but about invention and innovation in the Internet world. The concept often involves transforming the virtual world into a second digital life.
The metaverse also highlights the features of the VR interface, digital world, and avatars. There is a requirement to wear a headset or goggles for platform interaction. Users can purchase, operate, and trade for socialization within the metaverse. The virtual world is an online platform that can sense an object’s motion and microphone in games, entertainment, or business analytics. But keeping all the hype into consideration, within the metaverse, user information, user addiction, and security has been anxiously challenged by the tech industries.
Big names’ interest in the Metaverse
In 2021, Mark Zuckerberg changed his company name from Facebook to Meta. Zuckerberg invests so much to get the desired results in the virtual world. Microsoft is also into investment in the metaverse and reveals deals with Meta and Apple. Microsoft and Meta are also partnering together for Meta’s advanced and immersive virtual experience devices.
Investment in the metaverse is growing at a rapid pace. Big names like Google, Decentraland, Nvidia, and Shopify also spending in the metaverse.
Matthew Ball on the Metaverse
Matthew Ball describes the metaverse as a flourishing state of the internet. He explains how the concept has the limitless potential of infinitely scalable opportunities. Ball wrote a book on the metaverse in 2022, describing the idea and how it will impact the future.
Many things challenged Ball’s vision, but revolutionary change constantly worked ahead. Online multimedia platforms, cryptocurrency, 3G/4G networks, and other concepts have evolved in the past few years to understand customers’ needs better. Mobility and PlayStation were just the reality of the metaverse in the elementary structure.
Impacts on future
So far, numerous virtual world platforms like ‘Second Life‘ have been developed, and many are in the development stage. Metaverse will transform our lives as it is boosting and altering the role of the internet. There are many benefits of metaverse.
In discussions, people argue that digital technology and the virtual world can not compete with the physical world. In contrast, expert says that the metaverse should improve- not replace human experiences. Despite the maturity of the idea and the current enthusiasm for it, the technology still needs a lot of work, especially when it becomes “the next big thing” and “the next internet,” prophesied by Ball and Zuckerberg.
Experts hope for a bright future for the metaverse. The realities of the world would take place in the virtual world, such as online purchasing of clothes and accessories, social gatherings, online learning and hiring, virtual meetings, online leads, digital art, collectibles and assets (NFTs), and much more. There is an endless list of possibilities within the metaverse. Experts are constantly exploring improvements in AR, VR, and XR. We have not only embraced these technologies to help businesses that are thriving for transition, but we also look forward to seeing the enhancements in the virtual reality world.
We have seen Virtual reality in video games for past many years. In 2016, Sony released the $400 PlayStation VR, a virtual reality headset plugged into its console to play virtual reality games.
Conclusion
Technology has revolutionized from fast internet connections to the virtual reality of 3D animation. However, it still requires a lot of technical and technological advancements to mainstream users’ participation in the metaverse. Moreover, to enjoy VR, physical experience is also a requirement. So, besides a significant advance, the virtual world can only partially eliminate human interaction.
[This article is written by Erum Khaliq during Train the Learner’s four weeks Training Program as an Article Writer]
Matthew Ball is the venture capitalist at Makers Fund and managing director at EpyllionCo. Ball is a metaverse expert and also wrote a book in 2022 on the metaverse, “The Metaverse and How it Will Revolutionize Everything.”
Second Life is an online multimedia platform where users can explore, connect, create, and dive intensively into a virtual world. The platform allows people to create an avatar and interact with other users within an online virtual user-created world.
