Following Facebook’s decision to change its parent company’s name to Meta in order to pursue prospects in the “metaverse,” a slew of businesses have announced their own virtual reality (VR) aspirations. The term “metaverse” was coined in the 1992 science fiction novel “Snow Crash” to depict a virtual universe accessed by VR technology, combining the prefix “meta” (meaning showing or suggesting an explicit knowledge of itself) and the word “universe.
The virtual world has the potential to revolutionize the way we work, do business, network, and shop, giving brands a huge advantage. Euronews Next looks at some of the firms that are creating the technology of the future.
Tencent
Tencent, the Chinese social media and gaming powerhouse, is apparently approaching the metaverse, and experts predict a war between Meta and Tencent in the virtual world. The South China Morning Post reported this year that the Chinese company registered many metaverse-related trademarks for its social site QQ. But the company has not officially announced any plans to embark into the metaverse.
Tencent has strategic alliances with companies such as Epic Games and the Roblox game platform. Tencent’s empire also includes virtual offices and mobile payments, allowing it to reach a large audience in a variety of industries. However, China’s ongoing crackdown on the Internet business may imply that the metaverse’s future is uncertain.
Roblox Corporation
Roblox Corporation, a video game platform, only went public this year, but in November, it unveiled plans for a metaverse based around its users. People will be able to “meet together within millions of 3D experiences to learn, work, play, create, and socialize,” according to the business.
Nikeland
Brands are likewise ecstatic about the prospect of entering the metaverse, where they perceive enormous advertising opportunity. Nike is collaborating with Roblox to create Nikeland, a virtual reality experience. Users will be able to customize their avatars with Nike clothes and sneakers, as well as access to Nike arenas, fields, and buildings to engage in activities like tag. It will be free to use for the time being.
Dyson
Clothing isn’t the only thing that may be found in the metaverse. The Dyson Demo VR was created by Dyson, a home appliance company best known for their vacuum cleaners. It lets you to test its hairdryers, stylers, and straighteners at home using simulation and visualization technology.
Aldin Dynamics
Big Tech businesses aren’t the only ones creating their own metaverse. Aldin Dynamics, an Icelandic VR software start-up, is creating a virtual environment based on the game Waltz of the Wizards. Aldin wishes to create a space where you may let your imagination run wild.
Epic Games
Epic Games has been a part of the metaverse for a long time. The developer of the video game Fortnite has evolved into something more than a shooting game. It lets gamers to take part in virtual dance parties and concerts, such as the one it hosted for pop diva Ariana Grande.
Sensorium
However, the metaverse will be more than just a gaming haven. Motion World is being built by Sensorium, a business controlled by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. It’s best described as a high-resolution underwater virtual land with performance areas.
Nvidia
Nvidia, a chipmaker based in California, refers to the metaverse as the Omniverse. Its platform connects 3D environments into a virtual cosmos that may be shared. Omniverse can be used for applications like generating realistic architecture and factory simulations. It could be the metaverse’s building blocks.
“To compensate for the fact that we don’t simulate, we waste a lot of things.” In an interview with CNBC, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated, “We want to simulate all factories in metaverses, in this omniverse.” “In Omniverse, we’d like to simulate flora.” In the omniverse, we intend to simulate the world’s electrical grids.”
Microsoft
Microsoft has revealed Microsoft Mesh, a metaverse initiative that will change the way we work in the COVID-19 era. You can enter the virtual working world as an avatar in a virtual workplace using Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 headset. You can “connect with eye contact, facial expressions, and movements so your individuality shines,” according to the business.