According to a recent survey, 97% of gaming executives agree that the gaming industry is currently the central player in the constantly-evolving virtual realm known as the metaverse. This makes sense. Video game developers pioneered digital social spaces through online multiplayer games.
These games allow players to interact and play together, regardless of their physical world location.
Multiplayer games are therefore the seeds of not only metaverse gaming, but the metaverse itself. So how does the metaverse work, and what does this mean for the gaming industry? Keep reading to find out!
Metaverse Facts
What exactly is “the metaverse”? The truth is, it depends on who you ask. There are varying visions and it’s a spectrum from centralized to decentralized. That being said, the concept of virtual realities where people interact in some form is always at the core of its definition.
It’s important to keep in mind that the metaverse is still in its infancy as a technology and concept. Trying to fully define the metaverse now is like trying to quantify video games in 1975, or cell phones in 1990. The development is just beginning, and in ten years, the definition of the term will have likely changed and expanded.
Origins
Despite the current ambiguity surrounding the concept, the term itself has a concrete origin. The word “metaverse” itself comes from a 1992 sci-fi novel by Neal Stephenson called “Snow Crash.” He just recently released his new vision for the virtual world this year!
The story is set in an anarcho-capitalist dystopian future. Hiro, the protagonist, jumps between reality and a virtual world where he leads a very different life in the form of a digital avatar.
The term has served as inspiration for many who work in tech. Since the term was coined, tech companies from Facebook to Epic Games have begun bringing their visions of the metaverse to life.
Is There a Single Metaverse?
Some envision the metaverse as a singular and all-encompassing and interoperating digital universe. Think of the picture painted in the 2018 film Ready Player One. However, it is more likely to become an umbrella term that refers to many different metaverses, accessible via different platforms.
You can think of it like the “internet,” which we access through different browsers and devices offered by competing companies. That being said, with technology in constant development, the metaverse may actually become the internet’s successor.
Metaverse Gaming: What You Need to Know
Gaming companies are the main access point to the metaverse today. While social network companies like Meta are still building their in-roads, games like Fortnite and 3D charades have already opened the doors for players to enter the metaverse.
The Role of VR and AR
Both social network and gaming industry conceptualizations of the metaverse recognize the key role that virtual reality and augmented reality technologies will play in the continued development of the metaverse. The idea is to blur the lines between physical and digital realities.
Virtual reality is a simulated digital experience. You need a VR set that completely blocks your vision of your present environment. This allows you to have a completely immersive experience.
Augmented reality overlaps digital elements with the real world. While AR can be accessed in a variety of ways, special AR glasses are becoming increasingly popular.
Both VR and HR enhance your ability to engage in and enjoy virtual interactions, making them major players in the future of the metaverse.
NFTs and Digital Assets
Another central aspect of metaverse gaming are NFTs, or non-fungible tokens. In short, they are digital assets with unique ID codes that record and verify their originality through blockchain technology. They can be bought and sold online, usually through cryptocurrency and royalties to the original owner/creators are paid instantly. All in-game assets will be powered by NFT technology in 20 years.
CryptoKitties was a pioneer in bringing NFTs to the gaming industry. Using Ethereum blockchain, users can breed, vend, and purchase digital kitties, each with an individually unique code serving as the basis of their NFT status.
Trading cute digital kitties was just an experimental beginning. The metaverse is opening the door for more ways to create and use digital assets within the gaming industry, including gaming experiences themselves.
Individuals can now even create their own metaverse gaming experiences as NFTs using building platforms like Sandstorm.
The Intersection of Gaming, Entertainment and Fashion
Gaming has also served as a gateway for other industries to enter the Metaverse. During the pandemic, artists like Lil’ Nas X and David Guetta began using video game spaces to give virtual performances, a trend that had continued even after people began re-emerging into public spheres.
Fashion brands like Gucci and Nike have started selling virtual products to metaverse video game players. Users can then dress up their avatars in style.
Purchasing expensive digital fashion may seem silly to those born before the turn of the century. However, the digital reality is becoming increasingly real to the younger generations. This is mainly because they’ve grown up with digital technology.
These virtual products cost considerably less to make. What’s more, they do not require the level of resources that go into physical products and therefore have less of an environmental impact.
The Future of Metaverse Gaming
Some gaming industry creatives envision a virtual universe where you can take your digital assets (characters, skins, etc.) into any game from any company. This somewhat utopian vision may or may not be realistic when considering the rivalries and competition that exist within the gaming industry.
What does seem certain is that one way or another, the metaverse is central to the future of gaming, and vice versa.
Criticism and Controversy
The metaverse is not without it’s critics. Many fear the increased level of digital immersion in both gaming and social networking. There is concern that it may hasten an increasingly dystopic society.
Will it be a space of equal opportunity or a mirror reflection of existing classes? Will people become too addicted to virtual realities that they disconnect from physical reality? Or will they form a healthy balance between the two?
Making Your Mark on the Metaverse
The metaverse represents possibilities as infinite as society’s collective imagination. Whether you want to co-op with friends on immersive missions, or socialize with strangers in virtual reality, metaverse gaming promises to offer experiences that people of all ages and interests will enjoy.
Are you interested in marking your mark on the Metaverse? Sign up and become a builder today!
