The Beginner’s Guide To The Metaverse

In October 2021, Facebook officially switched its name to ‘Meta’ in order to place itself at the forefront of a new digital borderland dubbed the metaverse.  

The name change, which reflects the company’s ambitions to grow beyond social media, was revealed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg. An accompanying news release laid out the company’s vision for creating a ‘metaverse’ that connects online social experiences and the physical world.

This has since left users and non-users alike wondering what the future of Facebook (and beyond) looks like. And it’s also led to some head-scratching from those with little/no understanding of what the metaverse actually is… 

So… what is the metaverse?

The metaverse is a cluster of virtual worlds that mimic our physical world. It’s a combination of multiple technologies including virtual reality, augmented reality, and eye-tracking. Users need avatars to socialise, play, attend concerts, and shop. 

The concept isn’t new. In fact, it’s thought that the term ‘metaverse’ was first coined in 1992 by author Neal Stephenson in his sci-fi novel Snow Crash. Though work on technologies established around a virtual reality-based internet actually dates back decades.

What is the difference between the metaverse the internet, and other online worlds?

The metaverse doesn’t compete with the internet. It builds on it. The internet is something that people browse, but people can sort of ‘live’ in the metaverse, to a certain extent. The growth of the internet has generated many services that are leading the way to the birth of the metaverse.

The main difference between the metaverse and other online worlds is that rather than being an outsider peeking at a screen, the metaverse transports you inside for a more realistic experience. So you’ll need special equipment for the best experience.

It’s also important to think about the metaverse in terms of what it’s not, at this point, too. It’s not a personal platform or a privately-owned commodity. It’s a free and open space – just like the internet – except enabled via new technologies for a more comprehensive and immersive experience. So if you hear any brands claiming to ‘be’ the multiverse… run! 

What do you need to enter the metaverse?

You can access the metaverse in its simplest form using something as basic as a smartphone. Though for a more in-depth experience, you’ll need to invest in some of – not necessarily all of – the tech below. As you can see, it’s actually a little more accessible than you might have originally thought as at the very least, you need the first two, for the full experience, anyway. 

  • A computer/laptop: a computer with good graphics and a large memory will improve your experience. You can check with the metaverse worlds you plan to use to see if they have precise PC needs.
  • Virtual reality (VR) headset: To enter the 3D metaverse world, you’ll need a virtual reality headset and hand-operated controllers. The headsets have two screens plus speakers for audio. 
  • Gaming console: A game console isn’t required for joining the metaverse, but they are useful if you would want to connect other gear such as a microphone and virtual reality headset. If you’re interested in mixing in real-time with added equipment, a gaming console can provide a truly immersive experience.
  • Augmented reality (AR) glasses: Augmented reality glasses are comparable to goggles, and you can use them to enrich the virtual reality adventure. The glasses present digital overlays to real-world entities. 

What’s in the metaverse? 

Ok, now we know how to get in. But… what’s in there when we do?! The metaverse holds a number of different elements such as 3D avatars, digital purchases, games, businesses, and various events that support an entire online economy.  As a user, you can capitalise on your creations, socialise with friends, take part in virtual events, and even host business meetings in the metaverse. 

While exploring the metaverse you may soon realise that it offers many of the same features that you might find in the real world, but you can simply enjoy them from the comfort of your home using just your computer and other gadgets. Whether you want to transport to the next room of the next continent, you can do it all in the metaverse. 

Should brands get involved in the metaverse?

The metaverse enables brands to develop immersive and interactive ventures for their customers, unlike anything that has been feasible before. In the metaverse, brands can form their own virtual world that consumers can visit and discover. This enables brands to further manage the customer experience and construct a space tailored to their business.

The online gaming industry has years of experience in developing immersive virtual worlds. And while the metaverse has a mainstream use today, those that flock to the likes of Roblox, Epic Games and Decentraland suggest that playing games, building virtual worlds and investing in real estate might be the biggest usage so far. 

While the metaverse has made possibilities for emerging companies such as the Metaverse Group to offer virtual goods, established brick-and-mortar companies are also jumping in. For example, Nike acquired RTFKT, a startup that makes one-of-a-kind virtual sneakers and digital antiques using NFTs, blockchain authentication and augmented reality. 

Another big company not just embracing the metaverse but transforming its business module around it is, of course, Meta. 

“From now on, we will be metaverse-first, not Facebook-first,” wrote CEO Mark Zuckerberg in his October 2021 statement regarding the branding change. That’s a significant change because it means users ultimately won’t need a Facebook account to use other benefits in the metaverse. In the Meta report, Zuckerberg said the company wants to speed up the development of the fundamental technologies, including social platforms and creative tools, required to ‘bring the metaverse to life.’ 

After the rebranding news came in late 2021, Meta launched Horizon Worlds, a VR space that users can explore as an avatar, along with means for developers to create further virtual worlds. 

Won’t it be expensive to be in the metaverse?

The metaverse won’t be free, but it doesn’t have to be more expensive than other uses of the internet and other marketing platforms such as events. There will always be hardware and connectivity costs, but don’t worry about not being able to pay your metaverse subscription. Like the internet today, the metaverse isn’t owned by a single entity or accessed by a single piece of hardware. So there won’t be a ‘metaverse subscription’ that you pay to a single provider. But, there will be costs associated with accessing the metaverse that will be paid in different ways to different parties.

Why is the metaverse important?

Left wondering why the metaverse matters? You’re not alone. So, why is it important? Namely, because it offers us a new way to connect and communicate from anywhere in the world via our devices. It also supports a whole new virtual economy, enabling users to build businesses, socialise and network. 

It’s great for staying in touch with loved ones too, especially those across the globe. The metaverse enables connectivity and collaboration – simply pop on a VR headset and you can be in the same room (albeit virtually). 

And it’s not just personal pleasure that’s a benefit of the metaverse. The same can be said for businesses. You can collaborate with people all across the world ‘sitting’ at the same meeting table one minute, and sitting at the dining table with your family the second the meeting is finished. 

Going virtual – does the metaverse hold the key to the future of events?

The metaverse enables you to be anywhere, anytime, and with anyone. This convenience may improve your relationships and your ability to receive hands-on training and advice from home. Sounds like a win!

And there are plenty of brands jumping on these types of events. Fortnite is one of the most successful online games ever created. But creators Epic Games quickly came to understand that once they had brought millions of switched-on, tech-savvy gamers together on their platform, it potentially became something more game-changing

And two major strands that are being followed in order to turn the world of Fortnite into a proper metaverse are live music concerts from international superstars such as Travis Scott, Ariana Grande, and Billie Eilish. 

And not quite an event, but certainly a big moment in pop culture, Pokemon Go established before the publicity amplified around the metaverse. However, it’s the go-to app for augmented reality, which is predicted to be one of the cornerstone technologies that the metaverse will be built around. As such, it’s one of the best examples of how the metaverse will affect the joining of the real and digital worlds.

And this is just the beginning.