What is the metaverse?

Announcing that the company’s name was changed to Meta at the Facebook Connect event, Mark Zuckerberg also introduced Metaverse, the next phase of the internet.

Unlike past Facebook events, Zuckerberg’s presentation does not focus on a product, but on what will happen in the future. Zuckerberg’s presentation of Metaverse shows that as soon as we put on the glasses, we enter a completely different world.

We have prepared a detailed guide for those who are wondering what the metaverse is after Facebook’s name change and presentation.

What is the metaverse?

The term “metaverse” consists of “meta” (beyond) and “verse” (a back-formation from the universe). This concept typically describes a future iteration of the internet consisting of 3D, shared, persistent virtual spaces connected to a perceived virtual universe.

Neal Stephenson coined the term “metaverse” in his 1992 novel Snow Crash, in which he refers to a 3D virtual world inhabited by avatars of real people.

Metaverse offers a shared 3D virtual environment where people can shop, subscribe to services, collaborate with colleagues, play games and even customize the surrounding landscape to their personal tastes and needs.

While many envision being able to create and use a three-dimensional (3D) avatar that is a representative of yourself in this universe, others, on the other hand, envision that the metaverse, which will be based on reality, will allow users to interact with each other with real human images by digitizing their real physical environment, instead of cartoonish avatars in pre-created virtual worlds. But for now, there is no single agreed definition for the metaverse, as this is just an idea.

Why has the metaverse become so popular?

Every few years some trends emerge in the digital world and augmented reality, but they usually fade after a short while.

But right now, there’s a lot of excitement about the metaverse among big investors and big tech companies. If the internet as it is said has a future, no one wants to be left behind.

In addition, there is a feeling that technology is suitable for this system for the first time, especially with the developments in VR technology in computer games and the inter-device connectivity feature approaching the required levels.

Which companies besides Facebook are interested in metaverse technology?

Sweeney, President of Fortnite developer Epic Games, has also been talking about his enthusiasm for metaverse technology for a long time.

Multiplayer sandbox games have shared interactive worlds for decades. These don’t count as metaverses, but they have some common ideas.

In recent years, Fortnite has expanded its product range and brought activities such as concerts and brand events to its digital world.

Roblox, for example, is a platform where thousands of individual games connect to a wider ecosystem.

On the other hand, Unity, the 3D development platform, is investing in “digital twins”—digital copies of the real world—and graphics company Nvidia is developing a platform that connects 3D virtual worlds, called “Omniverse”.

Is metaverse all about games? 

Although many ideas have been put forward about what metaverse technology is, most of the predictions are that social human interaction will be at the center of this technology.

For example, Facebook is experimenting with a VR (virtual reality) app called Workplace and a social medium called Horizons. Both use their own virtual avatar systems.

Another virtual reality (VR) app is VRChat. This app is completely focused on surfing and chatting in the virtual environment. It has no purpose other than to discover new environments and meet new people.

In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Sweeney said. “A carmaker who wants to make a presence in the metaverse isn’t going to run ads. They’re going to drop their car into the world in real time and you’ll be able to drive it around. And they’re going to work with lots of content creators with different experiences to ensure their car is playable here and there, and that it’s receiving the attention it deserves.”