The realm of opportunity within the metaverse is limitless. The only problem is, most of these possibilities are yet to be discovered by not just those new to VR, but many VR users.
While there may be 400 million active metaverse users across the globe, many VR sceptics view the virtual world as no more than a platform for online gaming and immersive thrills.
In fact, most people would be surprised to learn that VR technology has seeped its way into a number of industries. From smart shopping to hyper-realistic healthcare, the metaverse has seen the likes of luxury fashion brands such as Gucci and renowned healthcare giants Johnson & Johnson step into a virtual tomorrow.
In a new world full of possibilities, here are some of the VR solutions to look out for as the metaverse evolves.
Immersive entertainment
The metaverse is primarily known as a hub for immersive gaming. While platforms like Roblox and Fortnite pioneer the way for captivating world-building and avatar customisation, the opportunities for enchanting entertainment don’t stop there.
As the metaverse opens itself up to more brands on the market, opportunities to explore the virtual world in new and exciting ways continue to multiply. Whether you’re attending Ariana Grande’s Fortnite concert or taking in the culture at the newest virtual museum, VR can facilitate any form of entertainment from the comfort of your sofa.
Disney is a great example of a brand planning to take metaverse entertainment one step further. Using the immersive powers of VR, the world-famous storyteller wants to introduce a virtual-world simulator that projects a Disney theme park into a 3D realm – imagine riding a virtual rollercoaster or exploring the depths of an underwater reality with Little Mermaid’s Sebastian.
“We’ll be able to connect the physical and digital worlds even more closely, allowing for storytelling without boundaries in our own Disney metaverse,” says CEO Bob Chapek. “We look forward to creating unparalleled opportunities for consumers to experience everything Disney has to offer across our products and platforms, wherever the consumer may be.”
For culture seekers and art enthusiasts, Sotheby’s has also launched its own interactive gallery experience. Located in Decentraland, the auction house invites users to roam around digital art exhibitions and even purchase popular NFT pieces by a number of renowned artists, such as Kevin McCoy.
Digital workspaces
Fifty of the UK’s largest employers, including Unilever and Clevertech, said that they had no plans to return to the office in the foreseeable future. As remote collaboration establishes itself in the corporate world, the metaverse has become a tool for workplace success.
Offering WFH employees the chance to connect with their colleagues in a digital workspace, the metaverse has become a vessel for virtual meetings, company onboarding and clever client pitches.
Platforms such as Meta’s Horizon Worlds are pioneering the way for work-based communication, especially on the back of their Meta Quest Pro launch.
“Meta Quest Pro was designed with productivity in mind and will be a major upgrade for those who use VR as a tool for work, but hardware is only part of the equation,” Zuckerberg said. “We’re equally focused on creating and supporting software that improves the way you work.”
Using the Meta Quest Pro, those collaborating in Horizon Workrooms can benefit from the introduction of more expressive avatars and authentic break-out rooms, all contributing to a more realistic, productive office experience.
Hyper-realistic health
Did you know that the healthcare industry has also dipped its toes into the metaverse?
As technology evolves, so do the opportunities for modern medical experiments, virtual training and immersive treatments. The future could see clinical trials performed on completely virtual test subjects, replacing animal testing and ethical concerns. Treating virtual humans in large numbers, the metaverse can be used to create a realistic test environment, perfect for creating new treatments and cures for disease.
Better still, healthcare giants, Johnson & Johnson have created the Innovation Room, a completely virtual space dedicated to training doctors in a convincing hospital environment. Full of medical simulators and 3D operating equipment, the Innovation Room has already simulated procedures in orthopaedics, oncology and plastic surgery.
Healthcare VR doesn't stop there, either. The metaverse has also become a space to treat mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Take Bump Galaxy as an example. As a virtual community based in the popular world of Minecraft on Sandbox, Bump has created a space for meditation, exposure therapy and CBT. Visitors can even use the platform to connect with renowned mental health professionals from all around the world.
Smart shopping
Can you remember when people said that e-commerce wouldn't take off? As we step into a new era of online shopping, the metaverse is now tipped to transform the commerce industry once again.
79% of metaverse users have already made a purchase on a platform. As VR shopping takes off, consumers can now explore virtual shopping centres, test drive a new car from their living room and digitally try on a dress before heading to the checkout.
Demonstrating the potential of the metaverse as an immersive shopping experience, high-fashion brands such as Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Tommy Hilfiger have begun to make their stamp on a virtual platform.
From Gucci’s Vault world on Sandbox to Decentraland’s first VR shopping mall, the opportunities for smart shopping are endless.
Virtual education
VR is also transforming the education sector. Moving learning online, schools, colleges and universities can enter the metaverse to engage in an immersive learning experience and collaborate with educators from all over the globe.
Taking a lesson into a virtual classroom can significantly improve learning outcomes. Not only do VR and AR technologies engage the brain’s motor neurons, but for physical and vocational subjects, in particular, virtual reality can help build muscle memory.
Better still, a VR-infused learning experience is much more exciting. Instead of textbooks and PowerPoint, imagine being taken to a virtual replication of a point in history or watching a scientific theory brought to life using the powers of 3D modelling. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Roblox has become one of the first platforms to take education into virtual reality. Offering ISTE-aligned lesson plans for a number of age groups and subjects, teachers can take students into the metaverse for a physical, hands-on learning experience.
“You can either introduce them to a textbook, where they can learn everything sequentially, or you can place their avatars inside a human body,” says the CEO of k20 Educators, Vriti Saraf. “One student can choose to go to the brain, other students can choose to go into the intestines. That choose-your-own-adventure learning experience is very empowering for most students.”
Are we looking at a VR-focused future?
The best is yet to come when discussing the endless opportunities created by VR.
While metaverse pioneers have already made a stamp on a number of global industries, it’s time to get excited about what the future could hold. As educators prepare to teach a lesson from outer-space and healthcare professionals take treatments into the virtual world, the metaverse could be making its way into the mainstream sooner than we think.
Virtual platforms may currently be a gamer’s haven, but it won’t be long before they become a part of modern day-to-day life.
