What are Metaverse Misconceptions?
It’s hard to define the Metaverse, there are many misconceptions. Especially in modern society where we’re easily influenced by anyone who has an opinion on – well – anything.
Ever since Neal Stephenson wrote Snow Crash back in 1992, the concept of virtual reality has entered pop culture consciousness and made its way into the mainstream.
But now, 25 years later, many of us still need clarification about how it’s defined. So we’re helping you less conventionally by starting with what the Metaverse doesn’t do. What it isn’t. How it differs from popular assumptions.
Ready?
The Metaverse doesn’t replace real life.
Readers and film watchers, are you familiar with the action hit Ready Player One? It depicts a virtual world – the “OASIS” – as unquestionably superior to its dreary counterpart – living on earth.
BUT this book is fiction for a reason. In reality, we can’t choose between living virtually or living in the real world. Rather than compete with our real world, the Metaverse will complement it. It won’t replace our real-life experiences. It will enhance them.
It’s a digital extension of everything real.
The Metaverse does allow for endless possibilities of expression and creativity.
Users can create and customize their avatars, virtual spaces, and even entire worlds in the Metaverse Creator Hub. This opens up endless possibilities for self-expression, creativity, and collaboration.
It’s a melting pot of creative potential! And the best part? The rewards are placed directly in the palms of the creators.
Numbers don’t limit the Metaverse.
Our modern world is home to millions of gamers who span geographies, generations, and genders.
And since Gen Z, our digital natives will find the transition from Web2 to Web3 as natural as breathing, we can expect millions of simultaneous users by the time a fully-fledged Metaverse is within our grasp. Daily. Nightly. Around the clock.
Read More: What is the Metaverse?
In the Metaverse, Avatars will co-exist in real-time as virtual replicas of our real-life social structures. Individuals will interact, and communicate together. Almost like they’re in the same location! But unlike the real world, they can seamlessly move between different virtual spaces when desired. It seems that teleportation has arrived sooner than we thought…
The Metaverse does offer a new form of social interaction and community building.
Covid-19 made us realize the importance of technology for facilitating the human connection.
Social media, texting, Facetime.
Without it, we’d have felt unbearably alone during periods of lockdown. That’s because, for a while, this technology was our only means of interaction with loved ones outside the four walls of our homes.
The Metaverse is the perfect intersection of two states of mind.
1) Where tech was headed before the pandemic, a facilitator of improved social interaction
And
2) Our post-pandemic understanding that virtual communication is highly advantageous to us.
Fundamental to us, in fact.
The Metaverse is not Web3.
Although related, the Metaverse and Web3 are different concepts.
- The Metaverse is a collective, virtual eco-system where users can interact with each other and digital objects.
- Web3 is a future vision for the internet that will facilitate the Metaverse’s operation.
The internet will assist with the Metaverse’s function.
The Metaverse does provide a platform for entertainment, retail, and education.
Far more than another mimicked social platform; the Metaverse is a powerhouse for human engagement across various industries.
Case Study: Virtual Concerts
In the Metaverse, artists can rent a virtual stage and perform live shows with their entire global following present.
Interacting with your favorite artist’s avatar inside the Metaverse can be a dream come true!
Case Study: AI Shopping Assistants
Consumers are actively moving into a new digital revolution. They expect convenience, personalization, and new ways to engage.
AI assistants can use human-level cognitive abilities to build strong relationships with consumers in a way that feels natural and create emotional ties that last. Exarta’s own proprietary AI assistant, Zeniva, helps turn your website, visitors, into loyal customers.
Read more: Artificial Intelligence(AI) and its Role in the Metaverse
Case Study: Immersive Learning Experiences
VR in the classroom will transport you to ancient Egypt, where you can explore the pyramids and learn about their construction. Forget reading about the formation of mountains, you’ll be able to hike through a virtual mountain range and witness the forces that shape them. Or experience the complexity of the human body by virtually walking through the inner workings of the circulatory system. You could even immerse yourself in the depths of the ocean, swimming among exotic marine life and learning about the diverse ecosystems that exist beneath the surface.
Read more: Metaverse Education – Learn Something New Every Day
The Metaverse is not just AR/VR.
Yes, alright. The Metaverse does encompass both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences. And these do point to some of its more exciting adventures.
But they’re merely in the same category as smartphones and laptops since they’re the gateways that give us access to the Metaverse.
In fact, the Metaverse goes far beyond AR and VR by integrating various other technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and 5G networks.
Read more: 5 Pillar Technologies That Are Powering the Metaverse
As an expansive, virtual world, the Metaverse comprises many new technologies that enhance its features. The goal is to fuse the best infrastructure out there to create the finest possible user experiences.
The Metaverse does give users control.
One of the great things about the Metaverse is the ability to create and share your own virtual worlds. This opens up endless possibilities for self-expression, creativity, and collaboration.
In a decentralized Web3-powered Metaverse, we’ll all be sovereign over our identity, assets, and data. You won’t need to ask anyone if you can create a website or web application. Plus, all the choices of software tools, hosting providers, and monetization methods are up to you.
Read more: Why Dropping Centralized Systems is Essential to the Metaverse
The Metaverse does deliver high-quality digital experiences for all users.
Real-time rendering technology allows a virtual world to be dynamic and responsive to user input. It creates an immersive and lifelike experience that can be accessed in real-time from any location.
Just like the physical world, a persistent Metaverse will continue to evolve and remain available at all times. And with the increasing amount of time people spend online, the Metaverse’s potential for building an online presence is becoming increasingly important.
Wrapping up
However we imagine the Metaverse – whatever it is, whatever it isn’t – we can’t categorize it into a single, specific definition. Not yet, anyway. That said, we’ve done our utmost to debunk any Metaverse misconceptions you’ve come across in your pursuit to learn more about this ever-growing space.
Remember, it’s not clearly defined right now because it’s still under development.
Instead of a fully-formed virtual world, think of the Metaverse as continuing to grow and expand. We’re at a point where it’s constantly changing and customizing itself to its users’ and creators’ visions for the future.
Are you ready to become part of the journey?