Want a Taste of the Metaverse? Here Are 5 Platforms To Try
If we got a dollar for every time we heard a mention of the word “metaverse” over the last year or so, we would probably have enough to build a time machine and see how the much-touted concept is realised in the not-too-distant future. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration.
But we don’t have to wait for the likes of Meta and Microsoft to come out with their ambitious projects to experience what this so-called next frontier of the internet has to offer. There are aspects of it that are already present in some of today’s platforms. So if you’re already craving for a taste of the metaverse, here are five platforms that you can try while you wait.
Fortnite
If you’re a gamer or a parent, chances are you’ve heard of Fornite before. This uber-famous game, where players compete to be the last one standing, has become an inescapable pop-culture phenomenon almost overnight. And it’s easy to see why – the game, as its developer describes, is a “world of many experiences”.
Fortnite has seemingly transcended its status of being “just another game” when it started to promote itself as a space where you could hang out and chat with your friends using avatars in a virtual world – a core idea of the metaverse. The game has evolved and, well, continues to evolve in ways that promote social experiences outside of the main battle royale gameplay.
There have been virtual concerts from artists like Travis Scott and Ariana Grande during a time when live events were put on hold due to the pandemic. There have also been live occurrences within the game world that required you to be logged in and playing to witness the event just as it was transpiring.
Not to mention, Fornite has the biggest and most diverse collection of licensed IP partnerships in the entire video game industry, spanning Marvel, DC and Star Wars among so many others. And these partnerships give way to cool crossover events as well as the ability to let you dress your avatar like characters from other franchises.
It’s perhaps the closest a platform has gotten to resembling the Oasis from Ready Player One, which has helped shape a lot of people’s understanding of the metaverse.
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS and Android
Decentraland
The premise of Decentraland is simple – it’s a virtual reality platform where you can buy plots of land using cryptocurrency. You can then build your dream spaces on your purchased plot of land and later invite other avatars to hang out there.
It’s a great place for anyone who wants to socialise with other people in a virtual world, with users having the ability to create avatars, purchase wearables and attend live events. And, as you probably guessed from the platform’s name, it’s entirely decentralised, meaning the world is governed by the users themselves, not some developer or company.
Because Decentraland is built on the Ethereum blockchain, whatever you buy, you own as an NFT. And all transactions on the platform are done using the cryptocurrency MANA.
Decentraland’s popularity has surged since Meta announced that it was developing its own metaverse. Big companies started scooping up land to establish a presence on the platform. This in turn kicked land prices up significantly, with some now being sold for millions of dollars. But the extra eyeballs and attention on the platform helped it expand in more ways than one. Now, there’s more for you to do and see, with a wide range of districts that cater to different interests. These include music, architecture, art and fashion, to name a few.
So regardless of whether you can afford to buy land or not, you’re likely to find an activity or place you’ll enjoy in Decentraland.
Platforms: Web browsers on PC or Mac
Roblox
Roblox is another platform that is being touted as having a lot of metaverse potential. It’s a place where you can play games created by other users or create games yourself. What makes this so appealing is how the game creation tools are pretty accessible. Practically anyone can make their own game here – no coding skills needed.
Add to that how you’re able to use your created avatar – your virtual self – across the over 20 million games that exist on the platform today. This essentially allows you to maintain a sense of identity as you venture into these different yet interconnected experiences.
The platform also features a thriving marketplace, where you can spend real-world money to buy your avatar new hairstyles, accessories, skins and other cosmetic enhancements. The users who created the items you bought then earn a percentage from your purchase. Your created game can also be monetised if it receives a lot of engagement from other users. No game development or coding skills are required.
At the centre of Roblox is the social experience. You’re transporting yourself into a shared virtual world populated by millions of other users around the globe. And you can directly interact with them through the games that you play together or indirectly through purchases that contribute to the platform’s economy.
Platforms: Xbox One, PC, Mac, iOS and Android
The Sandbox
The Sandbox combines aspects of Decentraland and Roblox into a single platform. It’s an Ethereum-based “metaverse” that consists of user-created games, communities and experiences. However, to share your created games, you’ll have to own land, which comes in the form of NFTs.
While prices of land here have also recently gone up here – the same with Decentraland – there are still other ways you can get involved in the platform’s play-to-earn model. You can, for example, create other NFT assets that you can sell in the platform’s marketplace. Or you can also land a virtual job as, say, an event planner for a community concert.
The platform prides itself on its decentralised ecosystem that lets creators make money while having fun. So if you’re confident about your artistic ideas, this is one place where you can share them.
Oh, of course, you also get to create an avatar, which you’ll use to engage this virtual world.
Platforms: PC, iOS and Android
Horizon Worlds
Who better to tease what the metaverse has in store for all of us than Meta itself. The company already has a public platform that's seemingly meant to set our expectations of how its grander vision will take shape. We're referring to Horizon Worlds, Meta's first attempt at redefining how we interact with each other. This 3D extension of Meta's suite of social networking sites similarly uses world-building gameplay to power multiplayer experiences such as playing games, watching live events or simply hanging out.
Here, you create your own virtual world, where you draw up items and environments from scratch. You also get to set the rules for how everything works in your virtual world through basic code. For example, you can throw basic physics out the window and have objects bounce off every surface they touch. And Meta designed these creative tools to feel intuitive and accessible to users.
You can interact with other users on the platform by inviting them to your created world or visiting theirs. You can also go to events together. So far, the platform has hosted movie nights, concerts and yoga sessions. And when engaging in all these activities, you'll be represented by your avatar the whole time.
Note: Horizon Worlds has only recently been made available to the public in the U.S. and Canada. It's not available yet in Singapore, but hopefully, we don't have to wait too long to try this out. For now, why not just keep an eye on developments regarding this platform and see how it stacks up against the others on this list.
Platforms: Oculus PC and Oculus Quest 2 (earlier Oculus headsets are no longer supported)