If there’s one hot topic circulating all across the world and in everyone’s thought bubble, then that throne would definitely go to Facebook’s unveiling of the Metaverse and where they plan to go from here on out with their official rebranding. And while the promises may seem far-reaching and the shoes look too big to fit, we can’t help but wonder how Meta plans to reshape the known digital world and usher in a new era of immersive experiences.
However, today we won’t just be going over the general appeal of greater immersion, but instead, we’ll be focusing on how the metaverse plans to reshape our choices of entertainment and all the ways we have fun. You see, even though the objective and functional aspects towards connection and collaboration do exist, we can’t deny that this more immersive and interconnected platform will surely change entertainment forever.
Breaking Physical Boundaries Through Immersion
Today’s new normal is defined by screens, meaning that no matter how interconnected we become, the screen still separates us from each other and bars us from feeling the actual presence of another human being. And it’s that silver lining that Meta plans to break through and reimagine with the Metaverse, to break apart the physical boundaries in the virtual space through immersion and create a digital world that fuels connection. And among the many things Meta aims to bring center stage are (1) shared virtual spaces that are fully customizable, (2) the interoperability of virtual reality games, and (3) the expansive creative economy that will support the entire foundation.
- Share Personalized Virtual Spaces With Friends: Firstly, one of the earliest things we get to see in Meta’s keynote presentation is how Mark Zuckerberg envisions virtual spaces will look like and how they will remain connected to your physical surroundings. In essence, you will get to design, personalize, and recreate your entire surroundings according to your will and imagination, with the freedom of inviting friends over at the tap of a button. And while that may sound like any other virtual collaborative space currently available on VR applications, we expect this function to integrate with existing activities like video-on-demand, instant messaging, and many more.
- Building On Current Virtual Reality Games: In addition to shared virtual spaces that will let you meet, talk, and do all sorts of fun activities with your friends, an essential aspect of entertainment that will definitely be featured in the Metaverse is building on currently Virtual Reality games. Soon enough, you’ll be seeing more and more people flood through your VR chatrooms and explore your shared digital worlds, making new friends at every step of the way. And if Meta’s keynote is anything to go off of, then we could also si Augmented and Mixed Reality applications that let you play with people from across the globe.
- An Expansive Creative Economy: Lastly, one defining feature of the Metaverse is that most of its content and features will primarily be user-driven, meaning that this virtual world will feature an expansive creative economy at its core. In fact, Meta has already showcased an impressive lineup of avatars, owing to the personalization of your online character that the digital world will see you. And soon enough, your closest friends will be investing in digital items, clothing, and 3D models to better present themselves in the Metaverse.
However, It’s Not All Sunshine And Rainbows
Of course, despite how exhilarating and mind-boggling the idea of an expansive virtual space is to comprehend, the actualization and implementation of the Metaverse are not without their faults. In fact, you might find it disheartening to learn that (1) some aspects of VR still feel clunky to utilize and (2) you’ll be running into more potential privacy and security issues, most especially if we’re talking about entertainment.
- Some Aspects Might Still Feel Clunky To Use: Virtual Reality, and the entire category of Immersive Reality Tech, for that matter, is not a novel concept by any means necessary. It’s been here for quite some time now, and while it did manage to secure quite the uproar during the beginning, it’s failed to latch on as a mainstream emerging technology. As a result, there hasn’t been much change as to how things essentially operate, so you’ll still be using controllers, VR headsets, and beefy computers to tackle any real computing power. Moreover, that’s not even dabbling with the not-so-accessible prices as well.
- Potential Privacy And Security Issues: Besides the clunkiness of it all, we can’t forget that social media spaces such as Facebook have been on a long-running episode of problems regarding privacy and security issues. Therefore, just because the company renames itself Meta does not mean all of these problems will disappear. And given that more data and information will be needed to realize the dream of the Metaverse like never before, the implications for online safety are extremely concerning.
The Metaverse Has A Long Way To Go But A Bright Future
Nevertheless, the Metaverse still has a long way to go before it’s going to replace any of the extreme fun we have with climbing mountaintops and challenging rocky terrain with our Can-Am Defender. But, there’s a bright future waiting ahead, and while it may take some more years before every relevant technology gets up to speed, we can’t wait for what comes after this mobile phone era.
