Journey Through The Metaverse History

Metaverse, the term everyone is using to describe the evolution of the internet. But how did this concept even emerge in the first place? Have you ever thought why people today are so much hyped about the virtual world? It’s the basic human instinct to crave for something that the current environment is not offering. You might own a Subaru BRZ, a speed beast, but now you came across the Mitsubishi Lancer which is faster and better. Now you’ll crave for that.

Same is with the internet. At first, Tim Berners Lee rolled out the initial version of the internet (read-only). People got excited that now they can easily acquire information. This was termed as Web1. As time passed, the internet started to show its interactive potential. It began to evolve from ‘read-only’ to an interactive web. But the major change came when the big boys stepped in.

The tech giants like Google and Facebook (Now Meta) completely revolutionized the way people experienced the internet. This is where the folks witnessed the true potential of what we call Web2, the successor of Web1. Now, as this notion has become mainstream, people around the globe want more. This is where metaverse enters the game. But let us ask that question again, how did this concept emerge? Keep on reading, you’ll know.

MUD1: The First Text-Based Virtual World

If you are a gamer, you might have heard or even played a game called Multi-Users Dungeons or MUD1. It was a command based game launched in 1978 where multiple users played simultaneously while connected through a modem. Users were given a scenario where they need to type a command to get out of the situation. For instance, a scene generates a text-based situation like ‘there’s a broken bridge’, you can type ‘get a log’ to tackle it.

Tron: First Depiction of Virtual World In a Movie

Every sci-fi movie enthusiast must’ve watched the 2010 movie Tron: Legacy. It represented a virtual world where everyone possessed a piece of equipment called Light Discs or Identity Discs (something like Light Sabers in the Star Wars). It beautifully depicted a futuristic world which the users can immerse through physical world equipment.

People must know that this movie was actually the successor of its 1982 predecessor Tron, and everything mentioned above was presented in this movie, but with less advanced CGI.

Snow Crash: Finally The Term Metaverse

People were aware of the virtual worlds, but it was Neal Stepheson, writer of the 1992 novel called Snow Crash which initially used the term Metaverse. The book revolves around the interconnected virtual world accessible through portable wearables. People would choose to remain connected through these tools as the story continues.

When The Matrix Unveiled The Reality

I don’t think you haven’t heard of Keanu Reeves’ starrer The Matrix. The 1999 movie focuses on a virtual world or as the movie called it, an illusion. Humans are trapped in a virtual reality called the Matrix which is created by the machines who are using the bodies of human beings as a source of energy. The scenario consisted of the dystopian future where the machines ruled (something like Terminator).

Second Life: The First Metaverse

Second Life is a 2003 simulation game where people can use their in-game avatars to socialize and do activities there. It is considered as the first ever example of the metaverse game. Players are playing on its server to this date. In 2021, the game saw a massive daily active user count of 64.7 Million.

Roblox: Virtual Worlds at Your Fingertips

Roblox is a game creation platform which started as a children’s game in 2006. But it has evolved to become a project for all ages. Users can use it to create their own games or virtual worlds to attract new audiences. In 2021, music platform Spotify created their own digital world called Spotify Island. As per a report the platform had a daily user count of 52.2 Million in Q2 2022.

When Steven Spielberg Brought Metaverse to Life

Steven Spielberg is considered as a director with vision. Everytime he comes up with a movie there’s something new and mesmerizing for the audience. Whether it is Extraterrestrial, Minority Report or Avatar, there’s always something new. Similarly, he directed a movie in 2018 called Ready Player One, a script adaptation from a novel of the same name by Ernest Cline.

This movie actually showed what metaverse is going to be like. And I personally believe in the director and the author’s vision. The movie presented a dystopian world where folks are accessing a virtual world called The Oasis through VR goggles.

Meta and Apple are already developing similar technologies depicted in the movie. Meta’s oculus headsets and Apple’s AR/VR goggles are believed to become the biggest players in this market.

When Facebook Turned Towards The Metaverse

The term metaverse gained a massive popularity when Mark Zuckerberg announced that they are retitling the company’s name from Facebook to Meta . The move was to show the world that they are shifting their focus entirely on metaverse development. The organization acquired Oculus, a VR company to develop Reality Labs to produce AR/VR equipment.

Will ‘Ready Player One’ be The Realistic Future?

People are eagerly waiting for the metaverse to become mainstream. But it’s not that simple. Though several organizations are working towards developing virtual worlds, they need to take some crucial factors into the picture. This includes speed of the network, CGI, bugs, security and more.

Sure everyone wants a reality similar to the one portrayed in Steven Speilberg’s Ready Player One. But to make it come alive in front of our eyes, everything needs to be perfect. A small mistake in coding of the virtual world can eliminate all the years of hard-work put in by the developers.

The metaverse is not a singular concept. There will not be a sole digital world. However, multiple interconnected virtual worlds which ultimately create a multiverse. To make this dream come true, Interoperability will play a prime role. So let’s cross our fingers, and hope that we will witness the emergence of metaverse as a mainstream concept too.