These are the 10 most important metaverse platforms for 2023
The concept of the metaverse has been there for a decade. However, it is now that we are seeing a lot of metaverse companies launching new and unique experiences and changing the way people collaborate, work and play. In this article, we are going to look at the 10 most important metaverse platforms for 2023 that are currently available for users to explore.
1. Second-Life
Inspired by a project by Linden Labs, Second Life, a 3D virtual platform is touted as the first form of the metaverse. It allowed users to create and interact with each other in real time, using customizable avatars.
Second Life uses a digital currency called Linden dollars (L$) which users can buy using real-world currency and then use to buy virtual items such as ready-made avatars in the form of fantasy creatures and robots, virtual lands, clothing and vehicles and much more. Linden dollars play an important role in enabling meta-commerce; allowing people to commerce and trade in the virtual world.
What makes Second-life unique and different from other metaverses is its strong focus on community-generated content, including a wide range of mature content, allowing artists the freedom to express themselves and a thriving in-game economy and virtual commerce.
2. VR-Chat
VR-chat is a free-to-play VR platform similar to Second Life, Gary’s mod and Habbo, where players can talk to strangers and friends. VR chat is mostly a community-driven game; people can upload their own customized avatars and world by creating them in unity.
VR-chat platform is device agnostic which means it can be explored using PC and VR headsets such as Quest 2 and HTC Vive. According to Road to VR, the social-VR platform is in development for Android and iOS devices. However, the beta access is expected to arrive for VR-Chat Plus users only.
Apart from creating their own avatars, users can explore other interesting features such as watching a movie in a space station or on the moon with family and friends and playing fun games like bowling and capturing the flag. VR chat offers a variety of options for users to get engaged and entertained, making it a popular platform for gamers, artists and digital content creators.
3. High-Fidelity VR
High Fidelity is a VR platform created by Philip Rosedale, the creator of Second Life. The VR platform allows users to create immersive and interactive experiences using advanced VR technology that supports full-body motion tracking, spatialized audio, and high-fidelity graphics.
High Fidelity is not based on blockchain technology, however, it does have its own digital currency called High Fidelity Coin (HFC), which can be used to purchase virtual goods and services within the platform. High Fidelity doesn’t allow users to own land but users can build their own experiences and invite their friends.
For users, High Fidelity provides an ample amount of entertainment from allowing users to host virtual events to meetings, lectures and live music. Additionally, it allows users to create and customize their own Avatars. While the platform was initially designed for VR, players can explore the environment using desktop as well.
4. Roblox
Roblox is an online gaming platform which allows developers and users to create games for other users to play. Since its inception in 2016, Roblox has envisioned its platform as an immersive social community where people can design, build, play and communicate with each other.
Although most of the Roblox users are consumers as opposed to creators, there is a way to spend and earn money by creating and selling virtual items with the game. These items can be purchased by buying Roblox virtual currency called ‘Robux’ from within the platform.
Roblox is device agnostic. It can be played across multiple devices such as PCs, mobile devices and gaming consoles. Moreover, there are a number of games that children can play. For example, a game called Jailbreak where children can choose to play as cops or criminals, and cops try to capture the criminals escaping from the jail.
5. Decentraland
Decentraland is a fully decentralized 3D virtual world where people and brands can build or own their own virtual land. Additionally, they can wander around, play and interact with what other users have built. One of the most notable features of Decentraland is that it is built on blockchain technology, which means that it is controlled by its users.
Because the platform is built on blockchain technology, users can buy and sell virtual land, as well as create and sell unique digital assets. This means that users can potentially earn real money by creating and selling valuable content within the platform.
The native currency of Decentraland is MANA. MANA is used for various purposes within the Decentraland platform, including purchasing virtual land, buying and selling virtual goods and services, and participating in governance decisions related to the platform’s development.
6. Sandbox
Sandbox is a decentralized gaming platform built on blockchain technology where players can create, own and monetize their own experiences using NFTs. The Sandbox is designed as a social gaming platform, unlike Decentraland, which has a social aspect, where players are able to attend events, meet-ups and interact with their friends.
The Sandbox platform allows gamers to build their own games without any programming skills using their free gaming tool ‘Game Maker’ to create voxel gaming worlds. Players can take part in games created by other people. The gamers can sell their games and other virtual items using Sandbox’s digital currency ‘SAND’.
The SAND tokens can be used to buy various props, buildings, lands, and exclusive in-game content. Moreover, players can stake their tokens to earn rewards and benefits and avail priority access to game features.
7. Somnium Space
Somnium Space is a VR platform, built upon the Ethereum blockchain that allows users to buy digital real estate, buildings, lands, plots and other in-game virtual assets. One of the platform’s unique features is that it allows users to experience physical sensation and feedback by interacting with the virtual objects in the environment.
Somnium Space has its own digital currency called ‘Somnium Cube’, an ERC20 token which can be used to purchase parcels, allowing content creators to start earning money for their products and services. For example, creators can organize virtual concerts on their parcels and sell tickets on the blockchain.
Another unique feature of the platform is that it rewards users for their positive contribution towards the community and people through a process called ‘Karma’. The Karma earned, can then be used to unlock special platform features such as access to an exclusive event.
8. FrameVR
FrameVR lets users create immersive collaboration space from a browser on the desktop, VR or smartphone. To enter the metaverse, users can simply sign up through their Google or Meta account, choose various environments from modern galleries to outdoor theatre, and invite their colleagues to the virtual space.
FrameVR is a great tool for businesses, individuals and educators to initiate meetings, and virtual tours and host immersive and interactive events. FrameVR consists of various tools such as a webcam, whiteboard, polls, and analytics to make the experience as real as possible.
Last year, the University of Massachusetts, Boston campus created a digital twin of parts of their campus to facilitate curriculum delivery, online education, and events.
9. Meta Horizon
Meta Horizon is a social virtual reality VR platform built by Facebook that allows users to explore and interact with a virtual world as avatars. Users can create and customize their avatars: from appearance to clothing and accessories.
Once the users are inside the Horizon metaverse, they can explore a variety of virtual environments, such as games, adventures, or social spaces. Additionally, interact with other users in the virtual world, through voice chat, gestures, and shared activities.
Meta Horizon is designed to be accessible on a variety of VR headsets, including the Oculus Quest and Rift S. Last year, Facebook announced that VR users no longer need Facebook account IDs to explore the metaverse.
10. Cryptovoxels
Cryptovoxels is one of the renowned platforms which allows users to purchase virtual parcels of land and build amazing experiences on top of it. It is a user-driven world that operates on the Ethereum blockchain. One of the unique features of the platform is that it allows users to open up a parcel of the land to other users to build an experience.
Cryptovoxels uses its own native currency called Voxels which can be used to trade virtual items such as buildings, art, clothing and other digital assets. Cryptovoxels uses voxel graphics just like Sandbox to represent the game world where players interact with the vast open world made up of voxel cubes.
Looking at the above platforms, it is clear that ‘The Metaverse’ is no longer a futuristic concept, but a reality where on the one hand brands can create novel experiences for users and gain their loyalty and on the other users can unleash their creativity by creating interactive games and environments.
