The concept of metaverse is something that lately is very present in every new project that emerges in the ecosystem. However, many users still don’t understand what metaverses are or how to access them. That is why today, in this article, we will tell you all about metaverses and which are some of the most prominent ones.
You have probably heard about metaverse from companies like Facebook, Google or Microsoft, as they aim to lead this sector. In fact Facebook has changed the name of the company to Meta, from metaverse. However, the crypto world also stands out in this novel concept with projects such as Decentraland, Sandbox or Bloktopia .
Metaverse Concept
The metaverse is a concept used to describe the parallel digital life in the real world. As the concept of blockchain enters this sector, it gives rise to another new concept which is the blockchain metaverse.
The blockchain metaverse is a virtual universe made up of shared 3D virtual spaces that are generated on a given blockchain. In these metaverses there is (usually) a native token that supports the metaverse economy, avatars and various monetization opportunities.
Although we all see the idea of metaverse as a technological breakthrough or something new, we should know that this idea is not new. To get an idea, one of the first times the concept of metaverse was mentioned dates back to 1992, in Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash comic book. At that time, there was talk of a low-bandwidth, text-based virtual reality system; however, this concept has not changed to date, it has only evolved.
By the year 2000, the virtual world of Second Life became fashionable, reflecting what was known as the Metaverse at the time. This project still exists, but it is not at its best stage. One of its creators, Philip Rosedale was talking about blockchain-based Metaverses in 2017.
How does the Metaverse work?
The metaverse is a derivation of virtual reality, the Internet in three dimensions. From a practical point of view, this means that instead of having several screens, we have virtual reality glasses. Metaverses offer users an immersive and more interactive experience. In other words, the digital experience is much more complete.
Accessing a Metaverse is probably the most complicated step for most users (or so they think). However, it is very simple. The first thing we must do is to choose a metaverse in which we want to participate. Once we have it clear we may need to have a crypto wallet and, in some specific cases, some cryptocurrencies.
The final step to enter will be to create our name and avatar account before entering the game world.
Below we will look at some blockchain metaverse projects that you can easily access.
Decentraland: the most popular metaverse
Among all the metaverses, Decentraland stands out. It is one of the most popular Metaverse spaces on the Ethereum blockchain. It is a virtual world, in the style of an MMORPG (multiplayer online role-playing game) and, in it, users can perform different actions such as buying plots of land, building something on them, selling them and enjoying games, casinos, art galleries and endless amazing experiences.
In case you want to get your own LAND plot in this metaverse you must obtain the native cryptocurrency of the Decentraland project, called MANA. MANA tokens can be burned or spent in exchange for getting our own plot of EARTH. To get an idea, a plot in Decentraland is 16 square meters.
This project has its own marketplace where all digital assets of the project are traded and managed. In this marketplace we can buy and sell packages as well as transfer ownership of LAND, unique avatar names and digital handhelds.
If we do not want to configure our wallet, we can still access Decentraland, customize our character and even communicate with others. However, we will not be able to receive rewards or attend virtual events.
Want to know more about this project? Check out our special article about Decentraland.
The Sandbox: a metaverse focused on games
The Sandbox is a project launched in 2012. Initially it was a game for mobile devices and Microsoft Windows. However, in August 2018 Animoca Brands acquired The Sandbox and developed a completely different type of game.
The result of this change was a new blockchain game based on a token called SAND. With this token users could earn money through digital assets they created in the same game.
The Sandbox has more than 160,000 plots available for purchase that are divided into two categories: regular plots (measuring 96 square meters) and estates that are a combination of several plots.
The game assets are minted in the form of SAND tokens. SAND is an Ethereum network-based token that functions as a non-fungible yet fungible token. It is frequently used in game assets.
In The Sandbox you will find a very simple and easy to use interface thanks to which you will be able to create your own video game and assets without the need of coding knowledge and skills.
This platform has a development tool called Game MAker The Sandbox. Thanks to this tool, users can create their assets in the metaverse and 3D games completely free of charge. These games can then be monetized.
Want to learn more? Check out our special article on The Sandbox.
Somnium Space VR: a different experience
Somnium Space is one of the most popular metaverses today. It is a new virtual reality world. This project has its own currency and its own economy. The platform is available from any device in 2D or virtual reality.
We can access this world from our computer or from the comfort of our cell phone. Somnium Space already allows us to enjoy the virtual reality world through all virtual reality headsets. Somnium Space has partnered with Sony to take advantage of 3D model development technology allowing users to create their own characters without complications.
If you want to know more, check out our special article on What is Somnium Space?
These have been just some of the best metaverse projects, and day by day we can see more of them being born, such as Bloktopia or Polkacity.
Will we live in a metaverse in the future? Are we already living in one and we haven’t noticed it yet? The truth is that the metaverse boom has forced us to ask many questions and we will surely find more and more answers.
