Every few years a new phrase is pushed through marketing channels and trendsetters of all kinds, out into public consciousness. Recently, there has been one that particularly stands out as defining an emerging digital industry: The Metaverse.
Anybody who has read much science fiction, or played videogames, will know that this concept is hardly a new one even though packaged as such. Originating in 1992 with Neal Stephenson’s novel Snow Crash but perhaps more widely known through the recent cinematic adaptation of Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, the concept has seen steady development and is an often-seen trope in science fiction across all mediums; even if not always under that specific name.
As our use of computers and smartphones becomes universal and the global economy more interconnected, there has been a resurgence in the idea of a more all-encompassing engagement with online worlds. The rise of social media, accessible VR and the interoperable persistence afforded by cryptocurrency and blockchain technology converge into what is being seen as the next evolution of our online lives. This begins with the recent emergence of so-called Web3 that combines everything into a cohesive whole, bringing together socialising, entertainment, learning and increasingly our work or business environment, but it will quickly become even more immersive and central to our lives.
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