Where’s the metaverse heading to?
Three years after the metaverse boom, we ask leading tech experts if it’s still worth the hype.
“The [metaverse] hype may have subsided, however the core ideas of immersive experiences are very much alive, and are continuing to evolve every day. Digital ownership is still gaining traction. The intersection of the metaverse with Web3 technologies like NFT and crypto further highlights its potential, specifically around fostering ownership and economic opportunities. Cryptocurrencies are still relevant, and will continue to drive the future of decentralised financial ecosystem.” – Grace Clapham, founder of Untam3d, and co-founder and director of The Change School “The digital world moves at lightning speed, and what seems like a fad today could be the blueprint for tomorrow. Take AI for example – it’s evolving so fast that it’s already hard to keep up. Think about the kids who are the future, currently playing Roblox or Fortnite. They’re already hanging out in virtual worlds, trading skins and being incredibly tech-savvy. It’s not just games; it’s their social space where they hang out with their peers. I believe this is a peek into how we’ll all interact someday.” – Shavonne Wong, digital artist “Far from fading into irrelevance, the metaverse is still very much work-in-progress. Similar to the Web 2.0 era’s embrace of social media by brands, Web3 promises 3-D virtual worlds where you can do more than you ever could on a website or a social media page. Now with video games becoming bigger than movies and music, I believe Roblox and Fortnite’s ecosystems showcase the potential of the metaverse to shape our digital future by profoundly changing the way we communicate and interact with each other online.” – Kay Poh Gek Vasey, founder and chief connecting officer of Meshminds