What is the Metaverse and what possibilities does it open up for the world of Virtual Reality?

It may seem that technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, but the reality is that a technology project comes to fruition many years after work on it begins.

Something similar has happened with the concept of the Metaverse, which was already discussed back in 1992 in the novel Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, but until a few months ago it seemed like only a very distant supposition. In the novel, users could create avatars and interact with each other in a virtual space.

Facebook's founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is the one who has put this concept back on everyone's lips. It was on The Verge's podcast that the entrepreneur spoke about the Metaverse, defining it as: “a persistent, synchronous environment where we can be together, kind of like a hybrid of the social platforms we see today, but in an environment where you are immersed”.

What does the term “Metaverse” refer to?

Broadly speaking, this concept refers to a replica of the real world in which we will be able to live experiences alongside other people in the same 100% virtual space. Something very close to what Neal Stephenson wrote about in his novel in 1992.

It is, then, the creation of a universe that is accessed through Virtual Reality and in which we can have work meetings, virtual offices and factories, concerts, games, shops or areas in which to meet up with our friends. The activities we do in our lives, transferred to a virtual environment.

The aim, therefore, is to create a virtual space that never ends or resets, but is persistent and always there and available to access at any time. And, if you acquire an item in the Metaverse, you have it available at all times, or if you carry out an action, it has continuity and consequences, as if it were the real world.

In other words, this new virtual space is not just a video game, but a unifying space that can offer an endless range of experiences.

The Metaverse is already a reality that we can access

Currently, the Metaverse does not exist as a single entity, but hosts various independent virtual worlds, which we can enter and in which we can interact with elements and with other people, but each of them forms a new, separate dimension.

Some companies are already experimenting in this space, such as BMW, which has its own virtual factory in the Metaverse.

The aim of tech experts and investors is for the Metaverse to become a shared space, very similar to the real world, in which you can go from one place to another without leaving the same space.

In other words, the Metaverse aims to be a version of the Internet as we know it today, but one that you interact with in a 100% immersive way using a Virtual Reality headset.

What is the relationship between the Metaverse and Facebook?

It seems that Mark Zuckerberg is the person most interested in building this space, and he has made that known to us on more than one occasion. At the moment, the project is an open secret, although they have probably been working on its feasibility for years.

The Facebook creator's bet is no coincidence. At a time when his main social network is losing interest compared with its popularity years ago, he, more than anyone, knows that for technology to keep existing, what does not work must be reinvented.

Big tech companies are already investing in this virtual space

Large corporations such as Sony and Epic Games are investing millions in shaping the Metaverse. These tech companies are working to make the Metaverse the future of the Internet and a possible new way for humanity to interact.

This new virtual space could also open up a world of possibilities for businesses, as it could be used in the Metaverse. After all, it is a space in which we can do anything and stay as long as we like.

Broadly speaking, this is a project of such scale and magnitude that no single company can take it on, and instead it must be created collectively, with contributions from the leading tech companies.

To what extent is it a good thing to move away from the real world to spend more time in a virtual one? Like everything in life, if we consume it consciously and without excess, it can offer human beings endless options and possibilities. What is clear is that the Metaverse will mark a turning point in our lives.

Ultimately, the Metaverse is nothing other than uniting the only two spaces in which we have the opportunity to spend our time: the physical world and the Internet. No other spaces will exist until the Metaverse becomes part of our lives and turns into the new reality within our own.