The concept of metaverse has become more and more popular. But as foreign as this emerging technology may seem, it will likely be an area where you won’t feel as foreign as you might imagine.
Why? Because most of the foundations for the metaverse have already been laid in the online world. While virtual reality environments and hardware still need improvement, other aspects already exist in digital culture.
This article covers five ways society has moved towards the metaverse, and some theories on how they might evolve.
Digital Identities and Avatars
In the Metaverse, people have the freedom to represent themselves however they want. Clothing, body shape, gender, skin color, and facial features are all customizable. And while this level of control is mostly available for video game characters right now, there are also many digital avatars and digitization features available for people to use on other platforms like social media.
Given the right tools and skills, people can easily manipulate their social media presence to project themselves however they want. We already do this to a certain degree using Photoshop, Lightroom, Snapchat filters, AI emojis and more. Metaverse will expand this even further.
Also, if you didn’t already know, there are handpicked virtual influencers on Instagram with huge fan bases like Miquela and Bermuda. Although it is clear that they are not real, these CGI characters can still influence the purchasing decisions and lifestyles of millions of people. If you look carefully enough, you can see their virtual nature. But as this technology evolves, they will begin to look like real people until they become indistinguishable.
And in a digital space, it may well be impossible to distinguish between real and fake, even after close inspection. This means that you can never quite know if someone you meet in the metaverse is a real person.
E-Commerce
Most of what we buy and sell today are digital products, that is, intangibles that exist in digital form. Think movies, music, ebooks, video games, in-game items, software, online courses, illustrations and of course NFTs.
Metaverse will be the next step in the evolution of such digital products.
For example, instead of watching your favorite movie on a flat screen, the metaverse will let you immerse yourself in the story with its 360° VR experience. Artists can design vast landscapes, architects can create luxury homes, and developers can make breathtaking games. Also, all of these can be purchased. Already, these steps have already begun to be taken.
Digital Relationships
Finding new people and making friends online has never been easier. No matter what subject you’re into, whether it’s gaming, art, poetry or pottery, there are online communities and people who share your interests. We’ve gotten so good at this that we’ve even made dating apps to find compatible partners. And whether you like it or not, online dating is permanent.
In the same way that the internet reduced the barrier to distance decades ago, the metaverse will also reduce the barrier to screens. Whether they are in a different country or on a different continent, you will be able to spend real-life time with your long-distance friends and partner.
But the dire consequence of such a world is a goldmine for advertisers and a potential nightmare for users. Consider all the data advertisers can collect. Things like your speech, facial expressions, and emotions can be used to create highly personalized and engaging ads.
Digital Education
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an explosion in distance education. Billions of people around the world have relied on tools like Zoom and Google Classroom to work, teach and collaborate. We have also seen an increase in the creation and consumption of online courses. All this showed us the potential of digital education and why a classroom doesn’t need to be confined to four walls. We’ve also discovered new ways to simulate face-to-face meetings and lectures while staying away.
Metaverse will also contribute to this idea. It will help visualize lessons and chapters through interactive 360-degree animations. This hands-on approach can make learning not only fun but also very productive. The potential here is huge.
Online Shopping
VR shopping is likely to come naturally to Gen Z members, just as many millennials prefer to shop online rather than going to a physical store.
However, there are already plenty of augmented reality apps that improve the shopping experience. The Metaverse will likely build on these foundations to make them more immersive. The goal here is simple: combine the advantages of offline and online shopping. For example, in the metaverse, you should be able to try on an outfit to see if it’s right for you – just like in real life – but you also have to have 24/7 service and not have to deal with crowds.
Again, the potential here is incredible, but frankly, what we’ve seen so far is downright embarrassing. For example, the video below shows how Walmart envisions the shopping experience on the metaverse. And the idea doesn’t look very appealing. The great thing about a virtual supermarket is that it doesn’t need to look like a real supermarket. The shopping experience in the video above is still very poor: time consuming, cumbersome and boring.
Imagine having to struggle to put a milk carton back properly without dropping it. This kind of inconvenience in a VR world doesn’t make sense.
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