The Metaverse is the new latest technology trend that is aiming to be the successor to the internet. Today, how we consume information is done via 2D screens either phones, monitors or tablets but the Metaverse wishes to change that. It will be a move away from 2D screens to 3D immersive experiences in all aspects of our lives.
Will the Metaverse Become a Dystopian Nightmare?
Recently, in Facebook’s (now Meta) 2021 keynote speech, the founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg gave a compelling presentation all about the Metaverse and Facebook’s decision to rename its company Meta.
Many cynics will claim the change is because of the damage that was done to the Facebook brand, in regards to the Cambridge Analytica scandal as well as others. They may have a point, but it seems Zuckerberg’s vision is far greater than that of a social network.
He wants to build the next internet and be the company that provides the default platform for the Metaverse. Other tech giants such as Microsoft have followed suit, investing billions into the idea.
Quite simply the Metaverse is a hypothesised iteration of the internet, one that you can experience in 3D using both virtual reality(VR) and augmented reality (AR).
In the keynote speech Meta which owns Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp concentrated on one of their lesser known companies: Oculus Rift.
They are manufacturers of VR headsets and will be used by users to experience the Metaverse. Moreover, Zuckerberg also spoke about glasses to be used, as opposed to bulky headsets especially for its AR technology.
The Metaverse will directly affect every industry just like what the internet did before. In the keynote speech, Zuckerberg listed many different ways the Metaverse could be utilised but was adamant there was one industry that would kick start it: gaming. Gaming in VR is the next step for an even more realistic, dynamic experience.
Imagine using a VR set and playing a first-person shooter, the realism compared to what we have now is unmatched, making it a truly immersive experience. On a side note, if you are looking to get better at shooting games read truegossiper’s guide to improving your skills.
It is not just shooting games that will feel hyper-realistic, you will be able to play cards in any location such as in the Pyramids of Giza as the display is all digitalised.
Other games that will become more realistic will be that of casino games, especially table games such as baccarat or blackjack. The last time the industry changed to such a degree would be when casinos went online.
The evolution from land-based casinos to online has given players more options. Comparison sites like VSO compare all the different bonuses available, provide reviews and even let you play slots for free.
This cannot be offered by a brick-and-mortar casino, and there will be many things that a Metaverse casino will offer compared to online ones.
The Metaverse hopes to eat up most of the everyday activities including work, communication, fitness, education to name a few. It will subsume our daily lives just like the internet before it, but the internet is easier to put down that of the Metaverse.
If all of our day-to-day activities were on the Metaverse we could spend the whole day wearing a VR headset and never leaving the house.
Our social events could be just digital and we all might isolate ourselves in real life. This is the argument of the dystopian element of the Metaverse.
The same argument has been made by parents about computer games, as children can play many hours a day, not going outside and just staring at a screen.
The Metaverse though is a different ball game to that of a phone or a tablet. With the use of glasses, it feels as if you are actually there being as close to the real thing as possible.
This is contrary to mobile phones as it’s a 2D screen separate from an immersive experience. This therefore may mean people could get addicted to the Metaverse and never leave.
The only breaks would be to eat, go to the toilet and sleep which sounds like a dystopian nightmare. But as the adage goes, with great power comes great responsibility.