What is the ‘metaverse’ and what does it have to do with Facebook?
Global News
The concept of the metaverse is quickly becoming a buzzword in technology and in businesses, like Facebook. But what does it mean?
Facebook said on Monday that it will hire 10,000 people in Europe to help it build a “metaverse.”
The concept of the metaverse is quickly becoming a buzzword in technology and business.
But what does it mean?
Metaverse is a broad term. It generally refers to shared virtual world environments which people can access via the internet.
The term can refer to digital spaces which are made more lifelike by the use of virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR).
Some people also use the word metaverse to describe gaming worlds, in which users have a character that can walk around and interact with other players.
There is also a specific type of metaverse which uses blockchain technology. In these, users can buy virtual land and other digital assets using cryptocurrencies.
Many science fiction books and films are set in fully-fledged metaverses – alternative digital worlds which are indistinguishable from the real physical world. But this is still the stuff of fiction. Currently, most virtual spaces look more like the inside of a video game than real life.