One of the most popular topics of the latest months is the Metaverse. The Metaverse can be described as a hybrid world between the real and digital spaces, where virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence work together to offer users a more immersive online experience.
Social media company Facebook recently changed its name to “Meta”, to highlight its shift from the social network space to the Metaverse one, projecting the whole segment in the spotlight. Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, defined the Metaverse as a set of virtual spaces where people can create, explore, work, learn, and interact with others, whether they are in same place or not. The main difference from the traditional social platform is that, in the Metaverse, people will feel a more tangible sense of presence, thanks to a more immersive experience and the combination of innovative technologies such as AR and VR. For example, users will be able to attend a concert with thousands of other people directly from their couch or appear in a real meeting as a hologram.
Software giant Microsoft is also combining the real world with AR and VR, to provide users with a 3D platform for virtual meetings, called “Mesh for Teams”. Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella aims to create an enterprise metaverse: with the adoption of AI, users will be able to create their own avatar mirroring their body language, tone of voice and facial expressions. Additionally, users will be able to sit around a table in the same virtual 3D conference room, and change their clothes based on the specific situation.
One of the most successful players in the Metaverse is Roblox, an online gaming platform where millions of people create and share their own games. Roblox does not use AR or VR but is focusing on building an immersive world for its community – the platform has about 47 million DAU. Recently Nike announced a partnership with Roblox to offer a virtual 3D space called Nikeland where players can interact in free sport games and outfit their avatars with special Nike products. In addition to create a virtual place where people can come together to do millions of different activities such as learning, playing, and socializing, Roblox’s CEO David Baszucki aims also to build an online shopping platform empowered by its own virtual coin: the Robux currency.
According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the Metaverse is expected to be an $800billion market by 2024. Among the key factors expected to skyrocket market revenue growth over the next decades, is the synergy between fintech companies and tech giants. In addition, since it is impossible to build an immersive environment in a 2D world, specialized hardware companies will also benefit from the secular growth of the Metaverse.
The information in this article should not be regarded as a description of services provided by Delian Partners SA. The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product. It is only intended to provide education about the financial industry. The views reflected in this article are subject to change at any time without notice.
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