Anna Posyniak‑Dutka

Buckle upbuckle upBuckle up: the New Reality is in the Making!

The term metaverse is not as new as we may think. The word was coinedwas coined [coin]was coined in 1992 by Neal Stephenson, a science fiction author. In his cyberpunk novel, the metaverse was a virtual world which people entered by means ofby means ofby means of avatarsavatars [avatar]avatars and had their alternative lives in it. For years, it was an intriguing concept explored by futurologistsfuturologists [futurologist]futurologists and writers. Recently, though, the line between virtual and physical reality has become really thin.

In 2020, the term metaverse referred to the realities of some video games in which people could build houses, set up companiesset up companies [set up a company]set up companies, cooperate with supporters, or fight their enemies. Such realities have their currenciescurrencies [currency]currencies which can be used to buy products and services. As the players need real money to convertconvertconvert it into virtual currency, again the border between the two realities starts to blurblurblur. A growing number of users started treating gaming platforms as meeting places where they spent time with their mates or meet new ones. Real celebrities made their appearances in virtual worlds. However, the metaverse is bigger than just the world of a single game. It’s not only about combining the physical and virtual realitiescombining the physical and virtual realities [combine the physical and virtual reality]combining the physical and virtual realities. It’s about bringing various games and social media platforms together to create one augmented metaverseaugmented metaverseaugmented metaverse in which people will be able to experience the surroundings, not only through the senses of hearing and sight, but also smell and touch. However unbelievableunbelievableunbelievable it may sound, we are approaching the moment it will be possible.

Some predict the metaverse will become the next version of the internet. Although it cannot be said that the metaverse is fully in existence, more and more metaverse‑like elements appear in our reality. Socialising, shopping, investments, and many other activities do not require our physical presence in different places. Digital servicesdigital services [digital service]Digital services provided by the digital economydigital economydigital economy are becoming more and more common.

The main challenge the architects of the metaverse are facing are of technical nature. The computing powercomputing powercomputing power of the machines we produce these days does not seem to keep up withkeep up withkeep up with people’s creativity. The computers available nowadays still need to be improvedimproved [improve]improved to allow thousands of users and their avatars to participate simultaneouslysimultaneouslysimultaneously in virtual reality. VR headsetsVR headsets [VR headset]VR headsets or AR gogglesAR gogglesAR goggles still provide a rather individual experience while the metaverse is supposed to give people the possibility of social interaction.

The metaverse is too big a project for just one company to be responsible for it. Some gaming giants in cooperation with social media tycoonssocial media tycoons [social media tycoon]social media tycoons are involved. It is said that if somebody has anything to do with technology or social media these days, the metaverse is on the top of their agendaagendaagenda. One thing can be said for sure: such a project requires cooperation at a level we have never seen before. Numerous start‑upsstart‑ups [start‑up]start‑ups declare to be metaverse‑ready and eagereagereager to work on developing this new digital reality. It’s definitely worth keeping an eye onkeeping an eye on [keep an eye on]keeping an eye on the metaverse developments, as an exciting future which lies ahead oflies ahead of [lie ahead of]lies ahead of mankind.

1 Źródło: Anna Posyniak‑Dutka, licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.