(Image: Julien Tromeur on Unsplash)
Majority of people experiencing the Metaverse today will do it on a 2D computer screen, smartphone or tablet because less than 18% of Americans own a virtual reality (VR) headset. They are also expensive, clunky and require a stable broadband connection.
For those without a VR headset, the big difference is that the experience will not be immersive because the real world around them is not blocked-out.
Begin by choosing which metaverse environment you want to participate in. Some of the popular ones are Sandbox, Decentraland, Omniverse, Roblox, Axie Infinity and Fortnite, to name a few.
Here are 10 things you can do:
1. Create an Avatar: your avatar allows you to interact with people in the virtual world. You can customise your avatar’s gender, body type, hair style, colour and add clothing and accessories.
2. Play Games: in addition to playing games, some platforms allow users to create their own 3D games, without any code.
3. Buy/Sell Real Estate: land is typically broken up into parcels, which you can hold as an investment, flip for a profit or lease to a property developer and make cash.
4. Shop: many brands have opened virtual malls and retail stores on various platforms. Go forth and buy the virtual Gucci bag, with real US dollars!
5. Sell Stuff: platforms have marketplaces, like Esty. You can create and sell t-shirts, hats, etc. but these are virtual wearables, in the form of NFT’s (non fungible tokens).
6. Event & Concerts: monetise your property (land parcel) is by hosting an event and inviting friends. Or if you have musical talent you can sell tickets and merchandise to a concert, like Ariana Grande, Travis Scott and Justin Bieber did.
7. Work Collaboration: companies like Microsoft and Meta (Facebook) have built building workspaces, where you can hold virtual meetings, or hang out with you boss - sound like fun!!!
8. Get a Job: Yep! Like in real life, buying land, hosting concerts and travel in a virtual world also needs real estate lawyers, event planners and tour guides. Looking for a career change? Search Upwork for ‘Metaverse Tour Guide’.
9. Conduct Ceremonies: a couple in Tamil Nadu*, India had their wedding reception in the metaverse because they had to limit guests who could attend the actual ceremony, due to Covid restriction. And, the groom wanted his late father to attend; which was only possible through creating his father’s avatar.
10. Socialise: invite friends to hang out at a cafe, play games or invite them to a party. You can also make new friends.
There are other uses, for example in classrooms and healthcare to train medical students, but I focussed on mainstream things the average user can do.
Next installment: “How are the Blockchain, NFTs and Web3 connected to the Metaverse?"