METAVERSE: A NEW WORLD?
For some, metaverse is just a sexy term that is being hyped in all of today’s big headlines. For others, metaverse “simply” refers to the future of the internet. Is there any right or wrong? We do not know. But one thing we are sure of: the metaverse is just getting started.
The term metaverse generally represents a highly immersive and shareable virtual world where people can socialize, work and play, just like in physical life, but in a virtual environment. The word “meta” is related to the idea of transcending human reality, something different and beyond the conventional world. In fact, the origins of the word meta go back to a Greek word meaning “beyond.” In this case, beyond the universe itself. The term “metaverse” inevitably takes us to Neal Stephenson’s 1992 book called the Snow Crash. The science fiction writer used the term to describe a computer-generated universe. To the more fearful, the metaverse may seem a frightening and intimidating non-human reality, but the truth is that the metaverse simply represents the natural evolution of the world and technology.
If we look back, online communications have been around since at least the mid-1980’s and grew into the 1990’s chatrooms and instant and direct communication websites. For example, the World of Warcraft game became a huge success in the early 2000’s and since then more communities have been getting together and getting to know each other through purely digital games and socialization. Today, all we have to do is look at the numbers and see games like Fortnite providing the big stages where new generations meet and interact. It’s not just about video games with thrill and adventure components, but about providing a social experience with the right dose of physical and digital interactions. And that’s the metaverse. Whether using virtual or augmented reality, the promise of the metaverse is a combination of physical and digital life in wealth, socialization, productivity, entertainment, and even shopping.
Some experts argue that to understand the vague and complex meaning of the metaverse, people should try to mentally replace the word with “cyberspace”. And why do experts say this? Because the metaverse is not just a single technology or a single space, but the broad ecosystem in which users and humans interact with technology.
Of course there are some technologies that are especially relevant when we talk about the metaverse, most notably are the virtual and augmented reality. Virtual reality represents completely imaginary worlds that exist beyond ordinary and normal life. Augmented reality combines aspects of both digital and physical worlds. We can access virtual worlds through our computer, game consoles and even our smartphones, so there are several entrances to the metaversal world.
Does this seem unrealistic to you? It’s not. The metaverse is just a logical extension of the internet, and the internet is just a technological extension of our lives. Everything is interconnected and everything makes sense in the end. Nowadays, most of the interactions that we already find common in person also occur within a completely digital space. The Uber app has access to our location. Netflix recommends a series or movie based on our preferences. We are already on Web3, where the internet is not just our ally, but our tool for practically everything we do in our life.