The concept of a Metaverse first burst into popular imagination with the 1992 chart-topping sci-fi novel 'Snow Crash' by Neal Stephenson. Since then, the idea has made steady inroads. From being a far-fetched fevered dream of an enthusiast to a real-life concept with rippling implications, the Metaverse is set to impact society, the economy, and on a bigger scale, humanity.
Tech giants have been quick to the starting line and are overtly pooling billions into this medium to capture a sizable piece of tomorrow's market. Their bid to establish Metaverse platforms that lure in the most significant number of participants is the first step in a more extensive play to stay on top of a rapidly changing technological narrative.
However, Metaverse seen by itself defies easy definitions. It is like and unlike the internet in many ways. Like the internet, it can be defined in terms of its utilities, attributes, and way its emergence marked the beginning of a new age. However, unlike the internet, the Metaverse promises to be an immersive, all-absorbing experience that draws you in within the realms of its virtual reality. Perhaps, the only way of understanding what the Metaverse entails is to look at its features in finer detail.
What are the characteristics of the Metaverse?
The Metaverse is infinite
Bear in mind that the above statement is not meant to be metaphorical or symbolic. The Metaverse is quite literally an infinite space. One can keep creating more and more spaces for participants to explore. If any area within this virtual world comes to an end, it has more to do with programmers not designing more environs than an actual physical space limitation.
The connections are just as real
In January this year, the first Metaverse concert was held in India. Reportedly, it was attended by 25-30 people, but that is because digital accessories still haven't been mainstreamed. Sooner rather than later, these technological obstacles will be overcome, and high-quality VR sets, and other paraphernalia will be available at competitive rates. Meanwhile, the utility of Metaverse goes far beyond just holding music concerts. Firms around the globe are working hard to incorporate the Metaverse as part of their corporate strategy. In the next two decades, one would possibly be able to attend an office meeting in the Metaverse while sitting at home. Social networking, dating, meeting new people, or hanging out with friends of old will all be part and parcel of this wonderland.
There's no on-off switch to the Metaverse
A critical feature of the Metaverse is that it is always live. No one can actively turn it off or pull the plug once it is turned on. People can keep coming in and going out. In this sense, it mirrors real life, just like nobody can flip a switch on reality and call for an all-out apocalypse, so also with the Metaverse. Sure, a small enclave of the Metaverse could be damaged or deleted if the server on which it is stored is destroyed. However, the Metaverse cannot be stored, in the conventional digital sense of the word, on a single server, and consequently, it cannot be destroyed.
Experience the new state of immersion
Metaverse worlds have a unique ability to mirror the actual world we inhabit. One has the complete liberty to maintain the digitized version of our reality or change elements with the world as per their likes and dislikes. The Metaverse allows us to enter a planet instead of just observing it from a distance. For example, a meeting in the Metaverse would require us to take on our digital avatar and be a part of an office meeting rather than be a face on a video conference app. The possibilities are near endless in the Metaverse. We will be attending colleges and meeting people and professionals with our avatars in the future.
In all fairness, Metaverse still has close to a decade to take off meaningfully. However, it has already proven to be an extraordinary concept deployed in the domains of AI, robotics, industrial manufacturing, and many other domains. The idea of the Metaverse, even with its novel application, might seem near impossible to become famous, but then there was a time when many were skeptical of the popularity and prevalence of the internet. Even before we understand Metaverse fully and grasp the platform, it will be knocking at our doors, demanding to be let into our lives.
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