You’ve probably heard recently about how the Metaverse ushers in a new era of digital connectivity, virtual reality (VR) experiences, and e-commerce. Tech companies are betting big on this. Microsoft’s US$68.7 billion acquisition of behemoth game developer activation blizzard reflects the company’s desire to strengthen its position in the interactive entertainment space.
Prior to this, Facebook’s parent company rebranded itself as Meta. This is a key pillar of founder Mark Zuckerberg’s grand ambition to reimagine social media platforms as “the metaverse companies building the future of social connections.”
Read more: Facebook rebranding is not ‘meta’
But other non-tech companies have also filed for new trademarks to sell virtual Air Jordans, such as Nike, which uses its own cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (nfts) to offer virtual goods in its online store. It is clamoring to enter the ground floor, such as Walmart, which is gearing up. .
As a journalism professor who has studied the future of immersive media, I agree that the Metaverse opens up opportunities for change. But the road to mainstream adoption presents its own set of challenges. So what exactly is the Metaverse and why is it touted as a game-changing innovation?
enter the metaverse
The Metaverse is an “integrated network of 3D virtual worlds”. Access these worlds through a virtual reality headset. Users navigate the metaverse using eye movements, feedback controllers, or voice commands. The headset immerses the user and stimulates what is called presence, which is created by creating the physical sensation of being physically there.
To see the Metaverse in action, you can watch popular massively multiplayer virtual reality games such as Recreation Room and Horizon World, where participants use avatars to interact with each other and manipulate the environment.
But the wide range of applications beyond gaming is staggering. Musicians and entertainment labels are experimenting with hosting concerts in the Metaverse. The sports industry has followed suit, with top franchises like Manchester City building virtual stadiums where fans can watch matches and perhaps purchase virtual merchandise.
Perhaps the biggest opportunities for the metaverse are online learning and government services.
The Metaverse includes exciting new applications for all levels of education. (Shutterstock)
This is the general concept of the Metaverse: a VR-based world independent of the physical world where people can interact and participate in a seemingly endless variety of virtual experiences, all supported by their own digital economy. .
More than virtual reality
However, there are challenges that must be overcome before the Metaverse can be widely adopted globally. And one of the key challenges is the “virtual” part of this universe.
While VR is considered a key component of the metaverse recipe, entry into the metaverse is not (nor should it be) limited to the use of a VR headset. In a way, anyone with a computer or smartphone can take advantage of Metaverse experiences such as the digital world of Second His Life. Providing broad accessibility is key to making the metaverse work, building on VR’s ongoing uphill battle to gain consumer traction.
The VR market has undergone a remarkable transformation in a short period of time. A few years ago, those interested in home VR had to choose between expensive computer-based systems that tethered users or low-cost but very limited smartphone-based headsets. .
Now we’re seeing affordable, super-quality portable wireless headsets like meta’s quest line, which has become the market leader in home VR. The graphics are sensational, the content library is more robust than ever, and the device costs less than most video game consoles. So why are so few people using VR?
On the one hand, global sales of VR headsets are on the rise, with 2021 set to be an iconic year for headset makers, recording the highest sales since the release of a string of major brand VR devices in 2016. Did. However, only about 11 million units have been sold worldwide.
It’s estimated that only 28% of people who own a VR headset use it on a daily basis, so even getting people to use the device can be a challenge. As many tech commentators have pointed out, VR’s long-promised mainstream revolution has barely materialized.
Virtual reality headsets are growing in popularity, but adoption has been a challenge. (Shutterstock) virtual exercise, physical discomfort
From missed marketing opportunities to manufacturing bottlenecks, there are myriad reasons why VR hasn’t taken off. But using VR can be inherently unappealing to a significant number of people, especially if they use it frequently.
Despite impressive advances in screen technology, VR developers are still trying to deal with “cyber sickness” (motion sickness-like nausea).
Research has shown that physical discomfort in the neck can be another obstacle, and as long as VR requires the use of large headsets, this problem may persist. There are also studies suggesting that women experience higher levels of discomfort because the headset fit is optimized for men.
And beyond the physical challenges of using VR is the isolation of VR.
Certainly, some people gravitate to VR to experience escapism and interact with others virtually. But this disconnection from the physical world and the uneasy feeling of being separated from people can be a major obstacle to people voluntarily wearing headsets for hours at a time.
A magical world mediated anywhere
Augmented reality (ar) experiences could be the key to reaching the Metaverse’s true potential. With AR, users can use their smartphone (or other device) to digitally enhance what they perceive in the physical world in real time, and enter the virtual world while feeling presence in it. I can do it.
An interview with video game researcher and designer Chris Alexander about the possibilities of augmented reality.
A metaverse centered around augmented reality intersects the real world rather than a completely new digital world. It’s this version of the Metaverse that actually has the ability to change our lives, claims computer scientist and technical his writer Louis Rosenberg.
