That what is the metaverse? If we take into consideration the broader definition, we could describe it as a digital and immersive environment in which in the future we will transfer a growing part of our daily life: from work to entertainment, from sports to shopping, to socializing. In fact, as he explained Lorenzo Cappannari, CEO and co-founder of AnotheRealityduring the On Metaverse Summit in Milan (organized by the Italian company that has been developing virtual worlds in the business, training and entertainment fields for years), “what the metaverse is depends above all on who you ask this question to”.
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IS the virtual reality world imagined by Mark Zuckerberg? It is that of platforms born in the world of video games such as Fortnite? Are they blockchain-based environments like Decentraland or Sandbox? The red thread that unites these different visions of the metaverse, Cappannari explained, is to contribute to giving life, all together and in their differences, “to the next incarnation of the Internet, in which the digital and physical worlds merge. IS an internet we enterto which we not only have access, but which we experience directly from within “.
This concept of metaverse not only includes virtual reality (which allows you to immerse yourself in an entirely digital environment), but even the augmented one, which uses special viewers to superimpose a digital layer on the physical environment, allowing us, for example, to view the indications of Google Maps directly on the asphalt or to obtain digital information on the real monuments we observe. In short, with augmented reality we can digitally enrich the physical world.
Will smartphones then be replaced by augmented reality viewers? “It is very probable – explained Cappannari – Apple is planning to debut one of its devices next year, and it is known that when the Cupertino giant enters a market it tends to consolidate it. Furthermore, in many ways it is the logical next step: we will no longer have to walk with our heads bowed on the device we are holding, but we will be able to move with our heads held high and with our hands free in a digitally enriched environment ”.
Platforms of which let’s experience on-screen like Fortnitevirtual reality experiences and also the digital enrichment of the physical environment through augmented reality, all this will contribute to giving life to a new economy on whose potential forecasts are indulging: from $ 800 billion expected from Bloomberg Professional Services up to 8 trillion calculated by Goldman Sachsarriving at the 13 trillion estimated by Citi Group. Who offers more? “It is something new, so in reality no one can know exactly what form it will take and how much it will be worth – specified the co-founder of AnotheReality – The only certain thing is that a lot of money is being invested in this sector and that the economy based on the metaverse and on dematerialization it will certainly have a great value ”.
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The concept of metaverse is further expanded if inside the so-called Web3 is also inserted: the (possible) next incarnation of the blockchain-based network that should create a new digital economy, in which we can all economically take part thanks to cryptocurrencies. What unites these two worlds, apparently very different from each other? According to Vincenzo Rana of Knobs, a software development company specializing in blockchain, the distributed ledger at the base of Bitcoin (and many other applications) is the ingredient that will allow us to fully express the potential not only of the Web3, but also of the metaverse. : “Even there, the blockchain gives us the possibility to buy a digital asset and to be able to prove ownership – explained Rana during the On Metaverse Summit – And it is always distributed ledger technology to offer the possibility to purchase a certified accessory through NFT on specialized platforms such as OpenSea and then use it in the metaverse “.
To understand what it is, one can think of the possibility of exhibiting digital works in a metaverse art gallery or of purchasing unique accessories, perhaps a pair of very limited edition shoes, to personalize our avatar (the digital twin with which we explore these new virtual worlds). Thanks to blockchain-based NFTs, it is possible to prove at any time that you are the legitimate owners of these valuable digital assets, also bringing them with us through the various platforms in which we participate.
From a certain point of view, therefore, the Web3 could be the infrastructure underlying the metaverse, able to connect through blockchain the different environments that will give life to this nascent new virtual world. However, there are still several obstacles to overcome. As also underlined during the On Metaverse Summit, often the interfaces of the Web3 and the metaverse are still not very intuitive and of much less immediate use than the classic Web pages or apps with which we are used to interacting: “The questions relating to which right metaverse design is of paramount importance importance – explained Luca Morena of Nextatlas – Better to ask them now, also to avoid making the mistakes of the past again ”.