In recent years, with the development of the Internet environment, the development of various services and businesses using the online environment has rapidly increased. Nowadays, the online environment has become an essential part of our lives, and its use is expanding into a wide range of areas, including entertainment and business situations.
Metaverse is a product that is attracting worldwide attention as the new face of the online market. Metaverse’s “virtual space” created by utilizing all of today’s cutting-edge technologies has the potential to bring about major changes to the online market in the future. In addition, some of the world’s most famous companies are entering the Metaverse industry, and we can see the high level of expectations and attention they are receiving. So, what exactly is the “Metaverse” that is attracting worldwide attention?
In this article, we will start with the basics of “What is the Metaverse?” and introduce in detail its characteristics and reasons why it is supported.
What is “Metaverse”?
“Metaverse” is a word coined from the combination of “Meta”, which has the meaning of “change, transformation, transcendence, or a higher level”, and “Universe”, which has the meaning of “space/galaxy”.
Currently, metaverse is often used to mean “virtual space,” and in recent years, it has attracted the attention of many people as a product. Even if you vaguely call it a virtual space, there may be many people who don’t feel comfortable with it. The virtual space that Metaverse refers to is a virtual space or virtual reality created by “VR (virtual reality).” A system that uses science and engineering to create an environment that is not the real thing, but has the same functional essence, by stimulating the user’s five senses, including sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. You can experience the technology. Simply put, the realistic experience you get through VR feels like it’s happening in real life.
The Metaverse makes full use of VR technology to greatly expand the realm of areas that could not be achieved in previous virtual spaces. In fact, within the Metaverse, many users can interact in a virtual space created with 3DCG, communicate, and share a single space using various contents.
Features of Metaverse
From here, we will briefly introduce the characteristics of the Metaverse.
3D space/environment development
First, one of the unique features of the Metaverse is that it has a three-dimensional environment. As the name suggests, 3D refers to a space with three dimensions. A 3D environment is always provided in the Metaverse, and it forms the foundation of the Metaverse’s virtual space.
Avatars exist for self-projection
The Metaverse is characterized by the existence of avatars for self-projection. In fact, through the use of this avatar, it becomes a system that allows you to communicate with various users and interact with many users within the virtual space developed by the Metaverse. By using avatars, even users who are not good at interacting with others can lower the hurdles to communication and become more active in the virtual space.
Many avatars can share one space
A feature of Metaverse is that many avatars can share that space within a single virtual space created by the Metaverse. You are by no means the only user (avatar) who enjoys the virtual space of the Metaverse. Many users interact and communicate within the virtual space of the Metaverse through avatars, sharing the same space and time for various purposes. In a virtual space, you can easily interact with many users without worrying about time or location. It is also fun to be able to interact with friends and users with the same interests that you would not be able to easily meet in real life.
Can create objects in virtual space
A feature of the Metaverse is that it is possible to create objects in virtual space. Even though it is in a virtual space, it is possible to create artistic works and share them in the Metaverse. By utilizing 3D space, which is a feature of the Metaverse, it is possible to create three-dimensional objects, breathing new life into art that was difficult to convey in a two-dimensional drawing, and creating three-dimensional objects that go beyond imagination. It will be completed. Such innovative ideas can be said to be a unique feature of the Metaverse.
Relationship between “Facebook Meta” and Metaverse
Did you know that Facebook, a global company, recently changed its company name from “Facebook” to “Meta” as of October 2021, attracting a lot of attention around the world?
Here, we will briefly explain Facebook and introduce its relationship with the Metaverse.
Facebook is one of the most popular SNS (social networking services) in the world, and it is an SNS that creates social connections through the services it provides. It was originally developed to “connect” friends within the community. You can actually post your current status in real time using images and videos, you can easily check the trends of your friends, and it also has a function that allows you to easily reply to comments and reactions such as “like” to posts. . Facebook is a ground-breaking tool whose real pleasure is connecting people. Facebook currently boasts 2.9 billion monthly active users and has grown into a huge platform worldwide.
In recent years, former Facebook employee Francis Haugan leaked internal documents to the media, giving Facebook a negative image in the public eye. For this reason, it is said that the company name change was partly aimed at refreshing the company’s image. The newly changed company name, “Meta,” comes from the word “metaverse,” which means virtual space, as mentioned above. From this, we can expect that Facebook will focus on services and businesses specializing in virtual spaces as part of its future activities. In fact, Facebook is proposing the expansion of services and businesses specializing in virtual reality, so trends in Facebook’s products are likely to gain even more attention worldwide.
Reasons why the Metaverse is attracting increasing attention
Over the past few years, attention to the Metaverse has rapidly accelerated. I will introduce some examples of why this is the case.
Evolution as a new communication tool
In recent years, the effects of the global pandemic have led to people refraining from going out, having fun with family and friends, and severely restricting the scope of business and service activities. As a result, demand for contactless services such as Metaverse has rapidly increased, and its use as a new communication tool has expanded. Virtual spaces have greatly contributed to actual live events and product sales services that require connections between people, and are gaining attention for their convenience and new initiatives. We have discovered the revolutionary convenience of being able to enjoy an experience similar to reality without actually going to the venue, so the scope of use of Metaverse will continue to expand significantly in the future.
Advances in VR technology
One of the reasons why the Metaverse is attracting attention is that the quality of “VR (virtual reality)” has improved. In recent years, the rapid release of VR devices such as VR goggles has become a hot topic in order to bring the VR experience closer to reality. The quality of the devices being released is improving year by year, and they are responding to the diversification of the hobbies and tastes of users. Another reason why it is attracting attention is that content that utilizes VR technology has begun to spread throughout the world, and opportunities to experience virtual space have increased. VR technology, which is improving day by day, not only improves the resolution of images displayed, but also makes goggles lighter and more wireless, is essential to expanding demand for the Metaverse.
Relationship between Metaverse and NFT
“NFT” is an important entity when talking about the Metaverse. “NFT” is a term that has been gaining attention in recent years, and there are probably quite a few people who have actually heard of it. “NFT” is an abbreviation that stands for “Non-Fungible Token,” and has the meaning of “non-fungible token.” Digital files such as images, videos, audio, and physical objects can be duplicated, but NFTs serve as public proof of unique ownership of each such item, as well as licenses for that item. It is used for the purpose of valuing assets and determining their asset value. In the current digital market, NFTs are actively bought and sold, and NFT art, in particular, is attracting attention due to the combination of Metaverse and NFTs. Digital art drawn in the virtual space Metaverse is traded at high prices. Cases like this can be said to be a new business model that was born along with the development of the Metaverse. It is expected that economic activities utilizing the Metaverse will become even more active in the future.
Related stocks of Metaverse
From here, we will introduce stocks related to Metaverse that are attracting attention.
“Meta-FB”
When changing the company name, the company chose “Meta”, a name that evokes the Metaverse, because the Metaverse will inevitably be the foundation for future products, and it can be seen that the company is focusing on the Metaverse first. In “Horizon Workrooms Meta,” which is a digital conferencing service that Meta is actually developing, cutting-edge Metaverse business is actively being carried out, such as using Meta’s unique technology that does not require a controller to operate avatars. . Meta has become a driving force in the Metaverse market, and it is expected that its activities will continue to expand significantly in the future.
“Microsoft-MSFT”
Microsoft is a major American company that develops and sells software and is influential worldwide. In November 2021, the company announced the development of “Mesh for Microsoft Teams,” which allows you to use 3D avatars to hold actual meetings in “Teams,” a collaboration platform provided by the company. First of all, it appears that preparations are progressing steadily for the release of the preview version in the first half of 2022. Microsoft’s entry into the Metaverse, which is globally influential, is expected to bring major changes to the Metaverse market in the future.
“SONY Group (Sony)”
Sony, Japan’s leading general electronics manufacturer, is attracting attention for its focus on the Metaverse field. Sony is actively developing VR devices such as PlayStation VR, which has gained strong support both domestically and internationally from a wide range of age groups, including those in the gaming world. It has a good compatibility with Metaverse’s strengths in the music and gaming fields, and depending on its development, it has the potential to develop into one of Japan’s leading companies in the Metaverse market, so let’s keep an eye on future trends.
“GREE”
Gree started its social networking service in 2004 and has grown into a popular platform centered around smartphone app games. Gree has proposed full-scale entry into the Metaverse in 2021, and we can expect the release of game apps that utilize the Metaverse in the future. If it becomes possible to easily use Metaverse from smartphones, which are familiar to us, it is expected that many users will flock to Metaverse at once, and it will become an even more popular platform.
metaverse virtual currency
As mentioned above, in the Metaverse, it is possible to buy and sell digital content by using NFTs that can prove ownership of digital content. In addition, virtual currency is used for actual transactions and is bought and sold within the Metaverse. Another feature of virtual currency is that it allows for speedy cross-border buying and selling. Since there are various types of virtual currencies that can be used within the Metaverse, it is important for users to select the virtual currency of the service they wish to use within the Metaverse. If the purpose is to hold virtual currency, there is no need to make a detailed selection, but if you want to actually use virtual currency in the Metaverse and enjoy the services and investments provided to the fullest, you are likely to use it yourself. You should choose the virtual currency of the service.
Also, virtual currencies have a market capitalization similar to the stock market. Therefore, it can be used as a useful indicator for making investment decisions. Market capitalization has the characteristic of fluctuating in real time, and if a virtual currency has a large market capitalization, it is proof that actual trading is active and shows its popularity.
summary
In this article, we have introduced the basics of “What is the Metaverse?” and its characteristics and reasons why it is supported. Metaverse creates a virtual space using 3DCG, and it has been found that activities similar to those in the real world can be actively carried out. It is expected that more companies will enter the metaverse industry in the future, and many fields that are practiced in the real world will be migrated to the virtual space one after another. The Metaverse, which holds infinite possibilities, will continue to attract attention from all over the world.