A Metaverse That Matters: A Look at the Next Chapter of the Internet

Web3, blockchain, and the metaverse are topics that most people with an internet connection are familiar with or have at least heard of. The technology behind it is catching on like wildfire, with tech moguls vying for the top spot in this new frontier.

Clash of the Titans

The tech giants have jumped on the bandwagon of the metaverse, the name given to what many believe to be the next stage of the online universe, being highly immersive with potential ties to the real world. Facebook parent Meta has made substantial investments in this promising prospect, partnering with Microsoft, which is also looking to acquire a major game publisher (if regulators approve… holding thumbs up) as it builds momentum in the space.

Meta and Microsoft aren’t the only tech giants riding the metaverse wave. After countless rumors, Apple has finally released information regarding its Vision Pro virtual reality glasses. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has released a series of statements regarding the Vision Pro announcement, with a strong focus on Meta and Apple entering into a kind of “very deep philosophical competition”. Forget rock paper scissors, this could be the battle of the century.

The concept of the metaverse goes far beyond being a virtual reality social platform, or what Zuckerberg coined as “the successor to the mobile Internet.”

Leveling Up: The Mix of Game and Metaverse

As a billion dollar industry, there are endless opportunities in the gaming world. While Web3 gaming isn’t particularly a new phenomenon, with play-and-earn gaming models breaking new ground in the blockchain space, the potential for gaming in the context of the metaverse has yet to be discovered. One of the interesting gaming niches to enter the new age of the internet is mobile gaming (and no, we’re not talking about the typical Candy Crush type of mobile game, although there’s no denying how awesome that is).

There’s no question that there’s definitely something about the metaverse in the gaming market. “Isn’t that crazy, as the real world gets darker and darker, a new digital world offers a place to reconnect,” says Lucaz Lee, founder of Affyn, an AR Metaverse Mobile Game startup. Last January, they raised $20 million in upfront funding.

According to a survey conducted by EY, 97% of gaming executives believe that gaming is at the center of the metaverse, also highlighting that most companies are currently in “experimentation” mode when it comes to this space. It is undeniable that the gaming world will see a number of changes towards a new future.

As Aladin said – a whole new world (of habits)

The metaverse isn’t just about multiplayer gaming or virtual gatherings; promises much more. It will be a vast network of interconnected 3D virtual worlds, accessible to countless users in real time. Imagine the ability to create a strong sense of belonging and easily reinforce it, opening the door to immense engagement, performance, and habit-forming.

ChatGPT, the conversational language model developed by OpenAI, quickly gained global popularity upon its release. It quickly found worldwide utility, being employed for such diverse tasks as generating ideas, writing code (even assisting in the construction of metaverse spaces), and composing messages. Its functionality has become comparable to that of a search engine in the 2000s. Likewise, the metaverse has the potential to satisfy unimaginable needs.

The metaverse is like an onion: there are layers

It will take some time for the metaverse to catch on and be adopted by the masses, as will most innovative technology. The difference, however, is that the metaverse adds another layer to the good old technology, implementing an element of true “human experience”. The Covid pandemic has highlighted the importance of human connection, emotion and interaction, which is exactly what the metaverse will foster. “I was fascinated by this idea of ​​creating a world that had some simple, low-level rules, but that just kind of comes to life from these elementary foundations, you know, like a real world does,” Lee continued. “The success of a metaverse can only be founded on the human qualities of social interaction and self-expression.”

So… Does the metaverse matter?

Imagine starting a local newspaper in the 80s, which talks about the invention of the Internet. What are the chances that you think “what on earth is this ‘internet’ and why on earth would I need it?”. No need to imagine that scenario, as the world slowly begins to unravel and discover the many benefits of the metaverse, regardless of industry. Don’t miss out on the potential of the metaverse – it will play an important role in the internet and social interactions in the near future.