Origin of The Concept of METAVERSE.
Read about how the concept of metaverse was invented and what is the history behind its origin.
“METAVERSE”, a global catchphrase. At least 90% of us have come across this word sooner or later in recent years.
According to a statistics report by EARTHWEB.COM, it was found that as of now in 2022, 81 million internet users are aware of the concept of “METAVERSE” and in a way utilize the technologies associated with it.
This number won’t blow our minds today, as we are aware of the fact that the concept of the metaverse and virtual world has taken a big leap in our generation.
The concept of the metaverse has been around for quite some time. However, the craze has intensified since Facebook announced one of the biggest brand pivots in recent history by rebranding to “Meta”, a name derived from the term “metaverse”.
Since then, people across the world have been curious about the metaverse and its implications for human interaction.
So how did the concept first emerge:
EMEGENCE OF METAVERSE:
Metaverse is a term that was first coined back in 1992 by the author Neal Stephenson. As described in Stephenson’s novel “Snow Crash”, the metaverse is described as a place where people interact with digital avatars in order to engage with each other.
Basically, in the novel, the terms “meta” and “universe” are combined in order to come up with the term “metaverse”. Even today, the meaning and scope of the metaverse continue to evolve since 1992.
In the aftermath of that, virtual interactive worlds or early metaverses were introduced primarily in video games with releases such as Second Life, The Sims, and more recently the release of GTA V, Fortnite, and other online games.
It is also worth noting that the plot of the movie “Ready Player One” is another representation of the metaverse in pop culture.
Now that we know how the metaverse came into existence let’s see what it exactly means:
What Is Metaverse?
The metaverse is a virtual world where you can live a real-time life through your avatar. It’s like a game, except you’re not shooting zombies or mob bosses but engaging in day-to-day activities.
The activities may include attending meetings, catching up with friends, attending music festivals, selling digital collectibles door-to-door, or buying and selling land, apartments, and assets, ALL DIGITALLY OFCOURSE.
If things take the right turn it may be the case that METAVERSE will soon bridge the gap between real and virtual worlds.
A handful of companies are currently working on turning the metaverse into a reality.
Let’s further see which companies have so far invested in Metaverse and which tech-giants are planning to enter it soon;
Which Companies are associated with Metaverse?
There are around 100+ companies currently building a version or feature of the metaverse and many companies that have already built great projects to mark their presence in the metaverse since the launch;
TO START WITH;
1. Niantic
Pokémon Go was a revolutionary AR game that was launched in 2016 by Niantic. The metaverse has demonstrated the ability to bridge the gap between the virtual and real worlds.
In its virtual store in the world of Roblox, Chipotle Mexican Grill offered free Halloween “booritos” to customers with their digital avatars when they visited with their digital avatars.
3. Microsoft
Using Mesh, Microsoft enters the metaverse. It’s a virtual collaboration space for Teams that lets employees communicate and collaborate using avatars.
4. Apple
Apple is known for being a pioneer in emerging technology. According to reports, Apple is developing AR/VR headsets that will allow them to enter the metaverse.
Aiming to develop digital solutions for everything between work and play, Meta believes the future is the metaverse.
The concept of METAVERSE has seen a lot of evolution since 1992 and the participation by the big companies adds a reason to its rising popularity.
CONCLUSION:
Metaverses can be described as bridges between the virtual and real worlds. The concept is one of the most exciting possibilities of the 21st century, but it is still far off from becoming reality.
The idea is being developed by many companies with Web 3 technologies like cryptocurrencies and NFTs to promote the creator economy in the metaverse. It is clear that the metaverse has opened up a world of possibilities for us to explore.
We will only know in a decade whether this is a true revolution or merely the extension of Web 2.
Keep following CITRUS to stay updated on web 3 related trends and gain useful insights from the crypto world.
