'The metaverse is just a bad MMO game' - Discuss for $2

Depending on who you ask, the metaverse is either the future of civilisation or a multibillion-dollar nothingburger.

A metaverse is defined as a 'virtual world in which users represented by avatars interact, usually in 3D and usually focused on social and economic connection.' Even before Mark Zuckerberg showcased his legless avatar hanging out with his legless avatar pals, some discerning gamers were thinking: 'Wait, haven't we already got this but without the ads?'. And yet with tens of billions being poured into various metaverse iterations and plenty of bright minds working on them, could we be on the cusp of something incredible?

Which camp do you fall in? What excites you about the metaverse? Is it bringing us something we actually want? In what ways is it better than an MMORPG? Use at least 75 words in your entry, and don't feel you need to limit your answer to Meta's metaverse.

Task: Is the metaverse a gimmick or the future of digital interaction? Share your opinion.

Format: Written

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Hit the 'submit to this bounty' button just below this description - do not use the reply button unless you just want to comment on the thread, as replies will not be counted as entries!
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Image credit: BrianPenny

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Created at 12:45pm, 25th March, 2024. Page last updated at 2:42pm, 16th May, 2024.
Deadline at 11:00pm, 1st April, 2024.

Submissions (10)

Paul4/1/2024

I do not like the look of this.

Its difficult as it is to monitor a persons safety while online let alone literally having your face in the platform. I think I read that a child was already preyed on. Until we can protect vulnerable people online effectively and there is a full understanding of how this may effect a person's wellbeing it should not be available to the public.

avrona4/1/2024

Won$2

Is the current metaverse experience as its being sold an MMO? Yeah, however I don't think it has to be a bad MMO. Pretty much anything branding itself a metaverse experience right now is probably going to be bad, however it doesn't have to be that way, and as the tech improves, and devs get a more clear idea and vision of what the metaverse is even supposed to be, I think we'll see things slowly but surely improve.

It will take a while, especially as the word has gotten off to a bad start, tainted forever by those Web3, NFT, and crypto scammers. I think Meta is probably going to be the concept's saviour here. I mean having a company that is dedicating so much of its resources to the concept, and literally even changing its name to "Meta" to show their commitment to the idea, does at least instill some confidence.

So overall, with the definition of what a metaverse is or isn't being so up in the air right now, it's hard to say what it will become, or if it just remains a hip marketing term for an MMO. Only time will tell. There are obviously some differences already, anything branding itself as a metaverse experience can be expected to implement VR or AR in some way, which is cool, and a great opportunity to bring the MMO genre back in general though. It's a genre that needs innovation, as I spoke for ages about in the MMO bounty. People just need to get their act together and come up with something to back up the claims that the metaverse is the next big thing and not just a buzzword.

Philip4/1/2024

Won$2

My daughter and her peer group have been getting into Roblox in a big way. They connect with each other via voice chat and discuss which games they will play together on Roblox and then jump on in.

It doesn't have the VR immersion of the science fiction metaverse of movies like 'Ready Player One', but I see it as a precursor.

Will the metaverse catch on?

Well I think the current youth generation will likely buy into this concept, especially if it remains fun.

Maybe instead of teenagers hanging out in the mall, they will connect via the metaverse and play games together between shopping at virtual storefronts.

Limal3/29/2024

I'm glad tech is still in early stage of development, especially comfort and UX. Else i would be really worry about social interactions.

i also think that such devices could be used to control people, like lite version of the Matrix.

Alex3/29/2024

Won$2

I have a Quest 2 headset and I started using this in lockdown and was introduced to VRChat, however for VRChat you didn't need to have a headset, you could access the game via the computer but there were some worlds on VRChat that are only accessible via a headset. I haven't used my Quest headset in agesss like the last time I used it was back in March 2022, so it's been a long time.

Personally I can see a strong future for VR and AR technology in games and education, but I don't see the metaverse taking off and I'm not for it. I know there's been a few of us that have cited Ready Player One already, but that book outlined the issues with the metaverse, and to be honest I'm not really a fan of Facebook in general and just have concerns about privacy.