Digital life
Metaverse another trend or another important technology that makes the world around. Facebook’s recent rebranding to Meta isn’t the first time technology experts have delved deeper into the possibilities of an integrated digital world. So, what exactly is the Metaverse And where is the difference between a centralized, controlled environment and other open source online worlds? These and many more we will learn in this article.
The idea and term Metaverse was born almost 30 years ago in a cyberpunk novel by Neal Stephenson, where he talks about a fictional place available to global audiences through some kind of global network. (Yes, the Stephenson’s Snow Crash was way ahead for his time.)
The way we see and talk about the Metaverse is quite similar to Stephenson’s vision: A public space for a global network made possible through digital media. In the Metaverse, people can build and interact in a world based on reality, but with opportunities thattranscend time and space in the real world as we know it.
While there are several criteria for the Metaverse, the basic idea contains the following:
- A public digital space featuring unique, customized avatars (digital formats) representing individual users,
- thatdigital ownership depends on how decentralized the platform is;
- where you can interact with other users
- and with elements of the digital world (interaction)
- finally creating experiences and sharing them with other people based on the platform
Different digital ecosystems facilitate different utilities and levels of control for users. If the platform leans towards a more decentralized approach, there are more opportunities to create, build applications, and own the ecosystem itself and the digital world.
Basically, the Metaverse is an online platform that adds layers and layers of creation to a digital platform, adding the ability for the user to create a character (or avatar) and live a digital life based on what their avatar can do. From fashion and digital careers, to pet care and property , the Metaverse mimics reality while throwing gives opportunities that no one can imagine.
A decentralized space vs a centralized environment
Here we’re talking about how centralized versions of the Metaverse are a bit different from other platforms (usually based on blockchains) that create open source Metaverses.
The key difference has to do with control, creation and governance. If you’ve watched Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One,” you’ll have an idea of what a government based Metaverse looks like.
Central core control: centered Metaverses
In a centralized Metaverse, there is a single entity that controls the entire network, with internal servers and with policies built to regulate the virtual world. In centralized environments like Fortnite and Roblox, virtual users live within the confines of a centrally controlled space, and users are limited to these parameters. The community can interact together and share experiences, but it does not have the freedom to control or own parts of the digital environment.
Control by users: decentralized Metaverses
When we have a decentralized Metaverse where the platform is open source, users have the freedom to control almost entirely their own experience. Control of the platform lies within the community (and not a central authority) through a control carried out by users. Which means that they have much more individual control not only over their own individual assets, but also over how the Metaverse itself is built and operated. The decentralized Metaverse is emerging step-by-step with Blockchain projects, and we’re starting to see the opportunities come to life in some very advanced ideas.
AXIE INFINITY
Axie Infinity is a blockchain-based play-to-earn Metaverse game. It’s more than just a game and a little less than a full Metaverse. As a game, Axie is driven by social interaction and mixes elements of art ownership (as Axies themselves are NFTs) and battle with the little creatures (rewards are offered for in-game battles and missions).
THE SANDBOX
Sandbox is one of the largest Metaverse platforms on the blockchain right now. The long-term goal of the project focuses on creating a fully decentralized world, fully managed, created and controlled and created by users within the Sandbox community. With the expected launch of a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), the platform wants to give as much control as possible to its users.
Sandbox is aimed at creators and is designed to act as a platform where digital creators can showcase their work and experiences. With celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Deadmau5, there’s also a public call for digital life and interaction with big names. (Imagine a reality where you can connect, exit your digital home, greet your neighbor (Snoop dog) and head to work on your virtual activity – which funds both your online and physical home. With the Sandbox, this is not necessarily a distant reality.)
Another important point of the vision for the platform was expressed by CEO Arthur Madrid when he said this: “We are developing an entire ecosystem that opens up new digital job opportunities for players and creators in our open NFT Metaverse.”
An important element of the Sandbox is that it offers a variety of employment opportunities. From a digital tour guide, showing newcomers to the platform, to content creators who enhance the ecosystem as a whole, all of which come with a real salary.
DECENTRALAND
Similar to Sandbox, Decentraland is a social world where users can interact with each other, play games, create and manage digital property on an open platform. Decentraland’s core theme is wrapped around digital art, and the digital world has a plethora of up-and-coming art galleries and auctions open to the public. In June 2021, Sotheby’s opened the digital doors to Decentraland’s gallery by launching a space where users can view, bid, and purchase NFTs.
While Sandbox is still trying to become fully decentralized, Decentraland is already run through a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), making it 100% decentralized and user operated. Another interesting nuance in Decentraland is how users claim plots (which is an ERC721 token referred to as crypto LAND) and other assets on the platform using MANA and developing or selling them for profit.