Many pioneering technological concepts are often unknown when they are first introduced. The cloud, IoT, and sharing economies are just some of the numerous old and abusive terms that describe the problem of jargon propagation. At the same time, the digital economy is booming, and it’s the fastest-growing sector. One example is that Apple users spent around $1.8 billion on digital goods and services during the holidays of 2020 and 2021.
Would the metaverse blockchain be investigated by the technologies industry, given there is a stupidly large belief that blockchain methodologies and NFTs are those that will determine the economic revolution of our planet? Because of the impending confluence of many technologies, we may experience breakthroughs within a decade. In this article, we will introduce the basics of Metaverse and how the technology relates to blockchain technology.
What is Metaverse?
Anyone interested in learning more about the metaverse should start with its definition. Neal Stephenson’s 1992 novel Snow Crash uses the word “metaverse” in the first place. We have been discovering many new technologies previously solely in science fiction.
Metaverse has several potential uses, some already visible in various ways. For instance, you’ve probably heard of it in games like Fortnite, Roblox, and Animal Crossing. An existing picture of the metaverse highlights the shared view of many futurists regarding it. It resembles the one in Ready Player One, where the protagonist lives in a metaverse called “The Oasis.”
No one knows how the metaverse could look, but specialists have identified its defining characteristics. The physical and digital realms would be interconnected in the metaverse, which would also center on an entirely operational economy. Another remarkable feature is that blockchain metaverse users would be free to travel to other locations within the metaverse.
Users may keep the avatars and virtual goods they bought in the metaverse. It would resemble an endlessly customizable virtual theme park in appearance. The most crucial aspect is enabling users to navigate between locations within the same virtual world effortlessly.
Examples of the Metaverse
The examples could demonstrate the various methods for merging the metaverse’s virtual and actual worlds. The potential for cultural, social, economic, political, and governmental interactions in the metaverse must be carefully considered. Curiously, real-life interactions are very similar to those in the metaverse.
- Minecraft, a virtual reality game platform representing the Metaverse, provided a unique venue for people to connect. Undergraduates at UC Berkeley used Minecraft to build a digital campus and host a graduation ceremony. In keeping with the custom of donning caps after graduation, all attendees dressed as their favorite Minecraft characters and participated in the event.
- The Metaverse is worth examining because it provides a flexible platform for users to trade goods and services stored in the metaverse using the platform’s currency and transaction mechanisms. Currently, the metaverse exchange lists and actively trades the SAND virtual assets from The Sandbox and MANA from Digital Land. For this reason, virtual currency can potentially supplant fiat currency in the real world.
- Another example of a metaverse that draws focus to the blockchain metaverse is Roblox. The platform lets developers make games instead of going to a virtual workplace. Roblox offers tokens to reward game developers for their efforts, which may be redeemed for goods and services outside the site.
What is a Blockchain Metaverse?
Because you already know what a metaverse is, it won’t be that hard to get a grasp of the blockchain metaverse. Right now, the virtual currency sector is indeed around $10 billion. Nonetheless, digital assets are limited to the platforms themselves, and the digital asset market’s insane growth has the potential to be a bubble.
Here, NFTs are involved with fuzzy objects that can be generated and purchased in public marketplaces. People can legally transfer NFTs to others without organization interference if such transactions do not rely on approval or other valid procedures. NFTs and other virtual goods that hold intrinsic value and are appreciated for an entire life can develop the metropolis stock market to a different level of reality.
Components of Metaverse
The next step is to find the most essential elements to construct a blockchain metaverse. First and foremost, the metaverse should be an open-air place not ruled by one entity but an infinitely free and open ecosystem. The metaverse might be scattered across different locations. The following are the cornerstones of a metaverse.
Internet
The Internet is a crucial part of the metaverse because it is a decentralized network of computers that are not controlled by any one entity. However, the necessity of obtaining central approval from such institutions for use is not emphasized.
Open Media Standards
Compatible media formats enabling audio, text, and video are pivotal for the blockchain metaverse to achieve true interoperability. Innovative media formats can be created by combining different media only, which is why these standards must include and manage both processes. Pixar USD and NVIDIA MDL have successfully driven the adoption of open media standards for 3D applications to achieve interoperability.
Open Programming Language Standards
Open and standardized programming language technologies are the other significant parts of the metaverse. These standards would come into the control of using different programming languages for developing applications in the metaverse. Hence, they will communicate these scripts to WebAssembly, JavaScript, WebGPU, Shader Language, WebXR, and HTML.
Extended Reality (XR) Hardware
The pertinent application of eXtended Reality (XR) technology is also as significant. In various XR hardware types, in reality, the prime objective is to link the real world with the virtual one or the Metaverse. Hardware for Metaverse XR consists of haptics, smart glasses, and Omni treadmills, among the most famous examples.
Decentralized Ledger and Smart Contracts
Control distributed ledgers and smart contracts controlling a blockchain metaverse would be logical components. Blockchain networks are responsible for enabling better transaction transparency and preventing censorship. Along with this, the blockchain network must also ensure permissionless transactions.
Several blockchain platforms are used in the metaverse, such as Ethereum, Theta, Bitcoin, Binance Smart Chain (BSC), and Flow. Consequently, the metaverse can potentially form a robust base for a property economy that can stimulate its growth.
Importance of the Metaverse
Undoubtedly, all the different ideas about what the Metaverse can be are intriguing enough to look into, but learning what is essential to this new reality is what you should concentrate on. If the metaverse does not happen, there still can be dramatically changed ways in which people interrelate with the digital environment. Of course, the following arguments for the blockchain metaverse can be mentioned to support its importance.
- Many new opportunities, such as NFTs, may present themselves to producers, artists, and gamers due to the shared virtual experience in a metaverse.
- The virtual metaverse has the potential to become a trillion-dollar industry, serving as a preferred platform for modern workspaces, entertainment, and commerce.
- According to experts, the metaverse will soon be the portal to most digital experiences, following in the footsteps of the Internet.
The Facebook metaverse’s introduction has made it more believable that the metaverse is the future. The CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, presented the Internet to the public with its central idea of making this project come true. The company got together through its senior executives in late June to start the metaverse project. Zuckerberg assigned the mission of changing virtual workplaces to them as the drivers of the new dimension. In addition, he also put an example of how a metaverse environment would be a massive change in how people can cooperate, speed up their work, and multitask.
In Summary
Before we wrap up, let it be known that the blockchain metaverse is everything but a science fiction concept. Looking around you closely, you’ll see that everything is going digital. While learning about the metaverse’s advantages is crucial, you can’t disregard the obstacles. Concepts like blockchain have expedited the development of the metaverse, which has been in the works for some time. The rumor of a Facebook metaverse shows that the concept wouldn’t be platform-specific.
FAQs
How does the Metaverse relate to blockchain technology?
Blockchain enables secure, decentralized transactions within the Metaverse, using NFTs and virtual currencies to create a real-world economy.
What are some examples of Metaverse platforms?
Popular Metaverse platforms include Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft, where users can create, explore, and interact in virtual environments.
What are the key components of the blockchain Metaverse?
Key components include open standards for media and programming, XR hardware for virtual experiences, and decentralized ledgers for transparent transactions.
Why is the Metaverse important for the future?
The Metaverse has the potential to become a trillion-dollar industry, transforming workspaces, entertainment, and commerce through immersive digital experiences.