How to enter the metaverse: What is the Metaverse, and why should we start packing for this parallel universe?

Metaverse is a term that has become very popular in the last year and is the focus of discussions, especially in technology and gaming.

The Metaverse is nothing new, but it started to attract everyone’s attention when Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg rebranded his popular social media platform into Meta and described the Metaverse as the future of the Internet.

If someone was tracking Facebook’s hardware innovations, the transformation into a metaverse company was not a big surprise. The social media giant was gradually focusing more on smart glasses, virtual reality headsets, and life-like video calls over the Internet. Therefore, the Metaverse goes one significant step forward and moves from the two-dimensional social media world to a brand new digital interactive environment.

What is the Metaverse

If the Internet as we know it today is something we “look at”, that is, something “outside” of us, two-dimensional, in the Metaverse, we are ourselves inside the Internet. There is not just one Metaverse, but thousands or millions of different worlds of the Metaverse. We can move through the Metaverse as an avatar, a digital version of ourselves – which we give the characteristics we want – which we control as we explore the Metaverse.

The Metaverse is a spatial construct, a three-dimensional digital space, unlike the previous (current) version of the Internet, which is linear and 2D. But we can still talk about virtual reality since it can also exist on a phone or a computer.

In simple terms, we can choose a metaverse platform and design an avatar, which is the digital version of ourselves. Then we use special equipment to manage our avatar and explore the metaverse experience. For gamers, the whole Metaverse discussion is a very familiar idea since to access and play online video games; they perform the same way. However, the Metaverse is rapidly growing, and the “prophets” of the internet estimate that very soon, it will not resemble anything we know so far, and it will be a truly unique experience.

Within the Metaverse, one can collaborate with colleagues during work, travel to exotic destinations, play games, hang out with friends at a virtual bar, and the activities are limitless.

The Metaverse Economy

There are many things one can do in the Metaverse, and new ones are always being added. The Metaverse economy is already an existing concept, with more and more brands entering this new digital environment. Using their avatars, people who enter the Metaverse can acquire digital land, travel, attend concerts – by paying a ticket – visit museums, buy digital clothing and shoes for their avatars or even get married.

Microsoft is developing a work environment in the Metaverse, a version of Teams called Mesh, designed to work with many different devices, bringing collaboration to new levels. Colleagues can be in the same digital space, even at home. Through the digital tools at their disposal, they will be able to complete a task, each seeing the same things in real time.

Recently, Nike acquired RTFKT, a leading brand that leverages cutting-edge innovation to deliver next-generation collectables that merge culture and gaming and made a significant step into the Metaverse.

“This acquisition is another step that accelerates Nike’s digital transformation and allows us to serve athletes and creators at the intersection of sport, creativity, gaming, and culture,” said John Donahoe, President and CEO of NIKE, Inc. “We’re acquiring a very talented team of creators with an authentic and connected brand. We plan to invest in the RTFKT brand, serve and grow their innovative and creative community and extend Nike’s digital footprint and capabilities.”

Meta has spent $10 billion on its Metaverse project, constantly expanding its “Horizon World” while experimenting with new digital features by enabling NFTs and other Web 3.0 capabilities to its platform. After all, Mark Zuckerberg does not miss an opportunity to show off the new metaverse additions and to inform about every development of his ambitious project.

How to Enter the Metaverse

To access the Metaverse, you will need – at least for now – to acquire a piece of special equipment and then choose among the available metaverse environments the one you like the most. To fully experience the Metaverse, you will need equipment like the Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headset. With this headset, you can join the Metaverse experience, access any platform, enjoy gaming, and communicate with other avatars.

However, not all Metaverse platforms require a dedicated VR headset. There are digital environments like Decentraland, which can be accessed and experienced by just using a desktop PC or laptop through an internet browser.

Summarizing the main key Metaverse players, we can see the following platforms:

Meta,  the SandBox,  EA,  Decentraland,  Sensorium Galaxy,  Minecraft,  Roblox,  Fortnite,  Ubisoft,  Blankos,  Nintendo

Someone who wants to enter the Metaverse only must experiment with the various platforms and find the one that suits them best. Even though using a VR headset is not mandatory it is estimated that very soon, all Metaverse platforms might require this special equipment.

The steps you need to follow to join the Metaverse are the following:

Create and customize your avatar.  Spend some time exploring the digital world within the Metaverse platform you have chosen.  Play games.  Make new friends and communicate with their avatars.

Seeing the Metaverse grow, more and more businesses and organizations are organizing events and activities within this new digital world. For example, Fashion Week is held in the Metaverse, while at several tech conferences, some speaker panels are moved to the Metaverse.

Either way, the Metaverse is here. It is not a science fiction scenario since the huge investments made by the technological giants prove that it is not something ephemeral but constitutes the future of the internet.

The question is whether we are ready for this transformation and how soon we will all be called upon to use our VR headsets to work, play and chat w

Extra tips & information

How to Join Horizon Worlds

Download Horizon Worlds: Install the app, and if it’s your first time here, create your avatar and choose an outfit.

Click on Worlds Tab: Once you’re in Horizon Worlds, look at either wrist and tap the bars to open the menu. Find and click on the Worlds icon.

Jump into Featured Event: Look for the title “Presented by Horizon Worlds.” You’ll find Block Party content there.

Decentraland DAO

What is the Decentraland DAO?

DAO stands for “Decentralized Autonomous Organization”. The Decentraland DAO owns the most important smart contracts and assets that makeup Decentraland – the LAND Contract, the Estates Contract, Wearables, Content Servers and the Marketplace. It also owns a substantial purse of MANA which allows it to be genuinely autonomous and subsidize various operations and initiatives throughout Decentraland.

Why has the DAO been created?

Decentraland is the first fully decentralized virtual world. It was always part of the original vision to hand over control to the people who create and play in this virtual space. Through the DAO, you are in control of the policies designed to determine how the world behaves: for example, what kinds of wearable items are allowed (or disallowed) after the launch of the DAO, moderation of content, LAND policy and auctions, among others. In short – you, the users.

How does the DAO work?

The community will propose and vote on policy updates, future LAND auctions, whitelisting of NFT contracts to be allowed inside the World, Builder and Marketplace, and whatever the community deems relevant. Voting takes place on the Decentraland DAO’s governance interface, powered by Aragon.

What do I need to play?

A PC or MAC running Chrome or Firefox.

Explore Sensorium Galaxy

Sensorium Galaxy brings real-life experiences into a digital metaverse — a shared 3D virtual space for everyone to enjoy.

What is Sensorium Galaxy?

Sensorium Galaxy is a digital metaverse delivering out-of-this-world virtual experiences. It pushes the boundaries of how arts are created, distributed, and enjoyed. And it gathers people for high-quality virtual content, electronic music and free self-expression.

Who are virtual beings?

Virtual beings are AI-driven characters inhabiting Sensorium Galaxy digital metaverse. They’ve got a backstory, ultra-realistic look and unique personality which unfolds in dialogues and interactions.

Depending on the product, you may take a different perspective on virtual beings:

in VR/Desktop version, they are your alter-egos, which can become autonomous and realize the concept of digital immortality

in the mobile app, it’s all about companionship. Virtual beings there are your best friends ready to chat for hours and dance together

You can try and befriend a virtual being right now

Where to start with the metaverse?

Connect with the most advanced AI-powered virtual beings via Sensorium Galaxy mobile app – the only gateway to the digital metaverse. Elevate your social experience, chat, dance, create, and get ready for more. Available in App Store and Google Play.

What is the Sandbox, and how to get started?

The Sandbox is a community-driven platform where creators can monetize voxel ASSETS and gaming experiences on the blockchain.

How to get started

Create and animate voxel art. Export anywhere:

1. To upload your models, you must become an artist through our Creator Fund.

2. VoxEdit is the only software capable of exporting assets to our Marketplace. Download VoxEdit and start creating.

3. Once you’ve finished your model, you can export it to the Marketplace following these simple steps.

Discover the NFT Marketplace

Build games for the Metaverse: Anyone can build 3D games for free. No coding is required. Contribute to a vast metaverse filled with amazing creations and experiences.