SocialFi, GameFi, and similar sub-industries continue to grow at an impressive rate, revealing what Web3 will enable in years to come. The borders between the physical world and digital worlds are starting to blur, so it’s vital that we establish (and explain) our own lines at this early stage.
In this article, we will explore three of today’s (and tomorrow’s) most important technological concepts in detail: metaverse, multiverse and omniverse.
By the time you reach the end of this article, you will have a stronger grasp of each concept and how they could affect the world. We will start by comparing the metaverse to the other concepts.
Neal Stephenon, the author of Reamde, The System of the World, and many other novels, created the term “metaverse” in his 1992 novel Snow Crash. It refers to a virtual space shared by many users around the world, providing a fluid environment in which people can take on the form of their chosen avatars.
Today’s Internet shares similarities with the metaverse of Stephenson’s novel, but it is still vastly different. Primarily, the metaverse is not restricted to a specific screen or machine — it will be implemented into our world and deliver immersive experiences in various ways.
It is easy to compare virtual reality (VR) to the metaverse and conclude that they are the same, but that’s not the case.
The metaverse is a digital space while virtual reality is a simulated take on our reality. Essentially, the metaverse is a sprawling digital realm that stands apart from the world we all inhabit each day, but virtual reality simply mimics it.
Augmented reality (AR) is an enhanced representation of the world around us, displaying information or images of different types over physical environments. For instance, you could take advantage of augmented reality to view location details over a street as you walk along it, ideal for finding your way in unfamiliar settings.
The metaverse, though, is a digital reality and completely separate.
The multiverse concept has become much more mainstream in recent years, as various movies and television shows have introduced it to a wider audience.
The multiverse consists of numerous universes with a specific set of rules and laws of their own. For example, your social media activity could exist in one universe while your online gaming would be located in a different one.
The most important factor to consider here is that those universes within the multiverse may be unconnected to one another. As each one could stand alone, transferring information between them may be incredibly difficult.
The metaverse facilitates an interconnected, harmonious system, while the multiverse is more focused on a fragmented setup, albeit one that is focused on security and privacy. It’s fair to say that Web2 is somewhat similar to a multiverse, as it utilizes numerous unconnected platforms.
The omniverse encompasses all universes, including those that really exist and those that are only imaginary.
As it contains fictional universes, parallel universes, and more, the omniverse could be considered the ‘ultimate’ reality.
The most important difference between the terms explored above is this: the metaverse and multiverse are both finite, while the omniverse can be considered infinite.
Additionally, there is an infinite amount of universes within the omniverse, while there are only a finite amount in the metaverse and multiverse.
The omniverse concept is natural, while both the metaverse and multiverse were created by humans. Skilled people performed countless actions and accomplished goals to bring the metaverse and multiverse into existence. But as the omniverse encompasses all of reality, it has always existed.
We can look at the metaverse and multiverse as reverse sides of a coin: they represent the same thing but viewed from different angles. The metaverse is an interconnected and unified realm, while the multiverse contains many of them without connections. And the omniverse contains all of them.
Here are the main similarities between the three concepts.
Each of the three concepts explored in this article include virtual realities built by humans via digital interactions. All interactions across the metaverse, multiverse, and omniverse will leave behind a clear digital trace.
The metaverse, multiverse, and omniverse are all massively open ended and could keep expanding in extraordinary ways. The three concepts are evolving and transforming constantly, so they present endless possibilities. They will present humans with truly remarkable opportunities to discover and explore new territories for decades to come.
User identity is another key similarity between the metaverse, multiverse, and omniverse. Your activities in one, for example, could be linked to your activities in another.
So, if you were to play a specific game on one platform, your avatar would still be available on a different platform. Furthermore, if a user buys a digital product on one site, their user identity will be connected with that purchase from that point on (in one form or another).
With some of the biggest companies on the planet racing to secure a foothold in the metaverse, including Google and Meta, now is a truly fascinating period in the technology’s development.
NFTs have become particularly prominent in recent months, and they are a vital distinguishing feature for metaverse users. Primary NFT use cases are digital art, collectibles, and gaming. In the metaverse, NFTs will play a critical part in the expanding cryptocurrency economy.
However, metaverse builders must consider and overcome one specific obstacle with care: the lack of interoperability that leaves each platform siloed without connections to the rest. That could be problematic for the growth of the metaverse.
We are watching the early phases of the metaverse era unfold, and we can only wait to see how it will progress in the coming years. But let’s be clear: the metaverse, as a concept, is here for good.