Since the Metaverse is not yet a reality definitions differ greatly. Making it more complicated is the fact that the Metaverse is a concept that spans numerous industries which have varying definitions on what it should be.
The Metaverse is generally considered to be the 3D successor to the Internet. A single and universal immersive experience that can be experienced by any device and anywhere and consists of networked virtual worlds. Many say that VR headsets and AR devices are required to experience the Metaverse but it is most likely that it will be experienced on any 2D or 3D device. There is also an emphasis on social connections and the concept of a new digital virtual metaverse economy.
The word Metaverse is often preceded by ‘the’ and with an ‘M’ capitalized to denote the one and only Metaverse in-line with Neal Stephenson’s original concept and writings.
The term “Metaverse” was originally coined in Neal Stephenson’s 1992 science fiction novel “Snow Crash” and is a portmanteau of the words “meta” and “universe”. It is generally understood that the word was a play on William Gibson’s “cyberspace” as Snow Crash was a parody of novels and short stories that arose out of the cyberpunk movement.
