Metaverses

How the metaverse differs from the modern Internet and online games

According to Du Jin, co-founder of the Huobi Global crypto exchange, expressed in July 2022:

• Instead of traditional online purchases, when the user sees a list of goods on the screen, he will be able to move to the space of virtual trading rooms, which allow you to carefully and in detail view the goods before buying.
• It will be possible to transfer digital objects and people to the physical world using holograms. They will move, feel and look like real people, the physical and digital world will become one.
• Thanks to the advent of metaverse, familiar activities that are implemented in two-dimensional space, such as viewing images and videos on the screen, will become three-dimensional.
• The metaverse is an immersive internet, where people will have the same opportunities as in the real world: free movement, possession and exchange of goods and assets.
• In addition, it will be a place where users can spend time interacting with each other in any virtually created place. This is a hybrid of real and virtual space, it will allow people to play games, work, shop, play sports and communicate while at home. People from different parts of the physical world will be able to meet in the same virtual place, for example, on the shores of a digital beach, where they can watch the sunset.

Back in the 2010s, this concept received a detailed description in the books of the Russian writer Viktor Pelevin.

Venture investor and metaverse ideologue Matthew Ball in 2021 highlighted the main features of the metaverse:

• Infinite existence. It never resets, suspends, or ends.
• It works in real time and does not depend on external factors, although developers can create and schedule events in the metaverse.
• There is no limit on audience size and the number of concurrent users. Everyone can at any time connect to the metaverse and participate in its life on an equal footing with the rest.
• There has to be a fully functioning economy. People and companies can receive some kind of reward (analogue of money) for "work" that brings "value" recognized by others, spend it and invest.
• The metaverse combines physical and digital worlds, open and closed platforms, private and public networks. This is a "single digital whole."
• Compatibility of data, objects, assets, content transmitted between digital worlds is required. For example, the user should have the opportunity to move machines from GTA Online to Need for Speed ​ ​ or give them to a friend from. Facebook
• Metaverse must be filled with "content and experience" created by its own users: loners, groups or commercial enterprises^[1].

Metauniverses

• Horizon Worlds
• Ceek city
• Baidu Xi Rang
• Facebook metaverse
• Decentraland is a metaverse running on the Ethereum blockchain.
• Arcona (metaverse)
• Roblox
• Metaverse VDNH

2024

How Moscow uses digital twin technologies and metaverse

In Moscow, the active introduction of digital twin and metaverse technology continues. We are talking, in particular, about creating a single intelligent digital platform for analyzing, modeling and managing a city in real time based on geospatial information. This is stated in the materials of the Department of Information Technologies (DIT) of the Russian capital, with which TAdviser got acquainted on September 23, 2024. Read more here.

Why metaseles were not shot in Russia

By the end of 2023, the question of what the metaverse should actually look like and what tasks it will perform remains open. In the analytical community and among large technology corporations with sufficient opportunities to create such a product, the search for a clear definition of the corresponding term continues. The difficulties faced by the concept of the metaverse around the world and in Russia in particular are described in the review of the Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF), which was published in December 2023.

It is noted that the trend for the development of metaverse has significantly changed, but has retained its relevance. The main goal is to integrate a variety of products and services into a single user interface. The industry is significantly influenced by rapidly developing artificial intelligence technologies, which can be integrated into the virtual space in one form or another. The development of industrial metaverse in the future will be ensured by the huge potential of the markets of forming technologies, as well as the growing demand for them. Overall, the report's authors highlight five key factors that hold back metaverse development.

Lack of understanding of the term "metaverse"

As of late 2023, the metaverse image is still not formed. This does not allow you to define a complete list of features that users need within such platforms. Therefore, such systems are often not able to interest users for a long time and keep their attention.

No successful or unique use cases

Many of the features that are offered in metaverse are already available in other services. For example, a business meeting or conference can be held on the basis of existing video communication tools or any messenger, which, in addition, will not require a special headset. Thus, metaslot projects as of 2023 do not provide unique opportunities to their users.

Gamification as well as lack of immersiveness

Metaverses are gamified projects in virtual reality, where the user controls the avatar and acts in an environment that mimics the real one. However, this format can only captivate a limited number of users. Plus, the possibilities for creating a maximum immersion effect (for reliable transmission of odors, tactile sensations, visual and auditory effects) are limited.

Need for special equipment

Another deterrent is the binding to the headset. It is possible to fully use the functionality of metaverses that exist at the end of 2023 only with the help of a special virtual reality helmet. However, the high cost, accessibility and ease of wearing (for example, dimensions) of such devices limit the spread of metaverse.

Cannibalization of the term "metaverse" by large corporations and brands

Metaverse Amazon, Google, Netflix, Apple, Meta (recognized as an extremist organization; activities on the territory of the Russian Federation are prohibited) are specific projects focused exclusively on the brand and built around the solutions and products of the companies themselves. And therefore, these platforms have a distant relation to the full-fledged metaverse and what users expect from it.

Currently existing metaverse projects can be called draft, since the needs of users are still not formed and not satisfied, the authors of the study summarize^[2]

MTS launched metaverse

In mid-May 2024, MTS announced the launch of its Verse metaverse. According to the press service of the telecom operator, the 3D gaming space involves a new format for user interaction with the products of the MTS digital ecosystem. Read more here.

VTB is testing its own metaverse

VTB is testing its own metaverse - a three-dimensional interactive space for virtual user interaction. The project has the potential to implement a new format for providing services, including the opening of banking cyber services. The bank announced this on April 17, 2024. Read more here.

First time police launch gang rape investigation into girl in metaverse

In early January 2024, it became known that the British police first began an investigation into a sexual crime in the metaverse. The victim was a girl who was gang-raped.

It is known that the victim under the age of 16 used a virtual reality headset to immerse herself in a certain metaverse. There, her avatar was sexually harassed by several other avatars at once. The attack is being investigated by police on the grounds that although the girl herself did not suffer any bodily harm, due to the addictive immersive nature of the game she suffered the same psychological and emotional trauma as if the rape had occurred in the real world.

The avatar of a girl under 16 - her electronic image - was raped by a group of people when she played a game in the so-called metaverse, the case file says.

It is emphasized that the VR headset used by the victim, thanks to the built-in displays and audio system, creates a immersive effect. And therefore, the girl's psyche could seriously suffer due to the impact of realistic negative factors. Experts say that on the one hand, prosecution in such a case can hardly be successful, since the definition of rape implies physical impact. On the other hand, however, the proceedings could set a precedent with far-reaching consequences. Much of what happens on the Internet, as noted, affects the actions and future lives of people in the real world. Moreover, psychological injuries are often not as easy to cure as physical ones. Thus, gang rape in virtual space can affect the fate of the victim in the real world.^[3]

2023

China begins to develop metaverse standards

information technology China The Ministry of Industry and (MIIT) announced the creation of a working group to develop standards. metauniverse According to representatives of the ministry, the lack of standards has led to the chaotic development of this area. This became known on September 19, 2023. More. here

China has published a roadmap for the development of metaverse

On September 8, 2023, China unveiled a new metaverse development program for three years. It is assumed that the initiative will contribute to the growth of the digital economy. Read more here.

Metaverse launched for worldwide travel

In early May 2023, the Internet company Travelzoo opened the Travelzoo Meta site, a specialized metaverse for travel around the world. It is assumed that the project will become a kind of portal to a completely new dimension, where users will be able to visit hard-to-reach corners of the Earth and even go to the past. Read more here.

Meta Pays Metaverse Project Developers Twice Market Size

In early April 2023, it became known that the salary of the developers of Meta (recognized in Russia as an extremist organization; activities on the territory of the Russian Federation are prohibited), which specialize in virtual reality (VR) technologies, can double the market average. Read more here.

Tencent curtails disastrous VR equipment project as interest in metaverse falls

In mid-February 2023, it became known about Tencent's decision to abandon the virtual reality (VR) hardware development project. The deteriorating economic environment also forces the company to cut costs and headcount in its metaverse development unit. Read more here.

Microsoft curtails failed industrial metaverse project and fires team

In mid-February 2023, Microsoft fired a 100-person team that was developing and promoting the industrial metaverse. The management of the corporation decided to abandon this project in favor of other initiatives. Read more here.

MTS will invest $100 million in creating its own metaverse

At the end of January 2023, MTS announced the investment of $100 million in the creation of its own metaverse. The project will be implemented by the participants of the MTS AI accelerator, which will be selected by startups, including international ones. Read more here.

Seoul was the first in the world to create a virtual copy of the city in the metaverse

On January 16, 2023, the Seoul government unveiled a massive project called Metaverse Seoul. We are talking about creating a virtual copy of the city with access to various services and resources. Read more here.

2022

The most likely directions for the development of metaverse technologies have been identified

The Institute for Statistical Research and Knowledge Economics (ISIEZ) of the Higher School of Economics on July 11, 2023 shared with TAdviser the results of its study, which made it possible to identify the most likely directions for the development of technologies for the creation of metaverse, which will be especially in demand in the world in the short and medium term.

The trends formed by the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, the explosive growth in demand for VR games and interaction in the virtual space, have led to the fact that Metaverse has become one of the key technological trends in 2022. By 2030, the global metaverse market may reach $5.8 trillion, and the average annual growth rate will approach 45%, predicted in ISIEZ HSE.

In 2023, public attention shifted somewhat towards booming applications based on AI (, ChatGPT Midjourney and others), neuronets however, interest in metaverse technologies is still strong, including among investors. The most striking projects include, for example, Metaverse, which started in early 2023, Seoul allowing residents of the capital South Korea to virtually interact with the city administration and access an ever-expanding set of services. Large companies (,, etc.), Samsung SK Telecom Naver as well as a number of educational institutions have already opened their representative office in Metaverse Seoul. Completion of the project is scheduled for 2026, and the planned investment is about $200 million.

According to HSE IIEZ experts, researchers' approaches to assessing the metaverse phenomenon differ significantly from those dominant in the media space. Most of the trends identified in the scientific literature (Table 1) are related to technologies for recognizing human actions (3) and other three-dimensional objects (2), including the use of convolutional neural networks (5) and generative-adversarial networks (6).

The focus of research is also on terminal mobile devices that provide technical immersion in the metaverse, in particular head-mounted displays (HMD) (4) - built into glasses or mounted on a helmet. This group of displays includes, for example, retinal ones, which transmit the image directly to the user's retina, and he perceives it as if it is in front of him on the screen at an ideal distance for viewing. Other HMDs include motion sensors to provide context-sensitive geographic information and are used as an interface for immersive virtual reality applications. It is expected that the average annual growth rate of the global HMD market in 2023-2028. will amount to 35.8%, and by 2026 it will reach $79.3 billion.

A separate area of ​ ​ research is devoted to learning opportunities in virtual reality (10). For example, in the same South Korea, Pohan University of Science and Technology is working to transfer classes to cyberspace and become the first "metaversity." The advantages of such training include: an increase in the concentration of students (four times), an increase in their self-confidence and an increase in emotional connection with the object under study (3.75 times). As noted in the ISIEZ HSE, such a format also significantly reduces time costs: for example, a course that takes two hours at a traditional university, and 45 minutes in "traditional" online, when using virtual reality, you can take 29 minutes.

If the researchers' attention is focused on the science-intensive directions of metaverse development, then specific applications and devices that ensure their functioning are most popular in the media (Table 2).

Leading the list of the most significant technologies for the market are high-speed 5G networks with low latency, capable of supporting a large number of users in real time. For user interaction in metaverse, solutions based on virtual and augmented reality (2), digital twins (5), non-replaceable tokens (Non-Fungible Tokens, NFT) (8) are actively developing, which allow solving issues related to personalization, identification and confirmation of property rights in the virtual world.

At the same time, trends are already appearing related to certain aspects of metaverse. These include, in particular, collecting digital objects (NFT) (10), which is gaining popularity in countries where the use of tokens for commercial and speculative purposes is legally prohibited. For example, in China in 2021, 4.56 million digital collections based on NFT were released. The Chinese decentralized digital certificate industry is expected to grow by an average of 49.6% over the next five years, and spending on NFTs in the country will increase from $4.9 billion in 2022 to $48.3 billion in 2028, according to the HSE ISIEZ report.

The popularization of metaverse is largely due to the video gaming industry, including the proliferation of the Play-to-Earn (P2E) (6) game model based on blockchain. Such games use user avatars created using technologies such as natural language processing (3).

Metaverse also opened the "second wind" to decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO) (4), working on the basis of smart contracts. DAOs are especially widespread in the field of virtual real estate (8), where smart contracts confirm ownership of virtual plots that can be used to place advertising, marketing and create branded spaces (as Nike, Gucci and Samsung already do). As ISIEZ HSE managed to find out, by 2022 the amount of transactions with houses and plots in the metaverse amounted to $501 million.

Along with three-dimensional visualization of goods (9), increasingly used in video games, investment, online trading and advertising, virtual influencers appear, with which popular global brands conclude multimillion-dollar advertising contracts. For example, Rosie's virtual influencer (developed by the South Korean company Sidus Studio X) earns about $1 million a year.

As noted in ISIEZ HSE, technological trends in metaverse are often intertwined: for example, 3D modeling is combined with NFT to create unique digital clothing or items, demonstrate products or promote the brand using "visual hooks" (visual hooks).

Through the connection of the real world with the virtual one, the massmarket and the author's design come closer together. For example, the DAO company Metafactory (an aggregator of craft clothing brands, including digital) holds contests in which anyone can present their sketches to the public and, based on the results of the vote, receive money for the production of clothing based on them. This format helps aspiring designers become popular, avoiding the complexities of the fashion industry.

According to Mikhail Komarov, chief researcher at the Center for Digital Economics Research at ISIEZ, professor at the Department of Business Informatics at the Higher School of Economics, metaselons, in addition to the above areas of their development, allow you to discover new promising or enrich well-known types of services, as well as practices for storing and transferring knowledge.

Take telemedicine as an example: it is not real medical workers who can perform tasks that do not require high qualifications (drug control, etc.) in the metaverse, but virtual avatars. Another important example is associated with the "virtual heritage" format, when all information (movements, techniques, etc.) is recorded in the virtual space, characterizing interaction with various artifacts (objects, tools). The concept of the metaverse has significantly strengthened such work underway for many years to translate digital twins into cyberspace, the expert is convinced.

The study was carried out by specialists of the ISIEZ HSE mining big data using the iFORA system. In total, within the framework of the study, more than 50 thousand specialized sources for 2020-2022 were analyzed, reflecting the current agenda of science and business.^[4]

OSV: Metaverse Trends - NFT Metaposolities and Galleries

On December 13, 2022, Silicon Valley analysts Orange released the results of a study on the development trends of the global metaverse market. It is said that several independent areas are being formed in this area, in particular, commercial, educational, entertainment and production.

The metaverse is considered in the report as a simulated digital environment that uses augmented reality (AR), virtual reality ( VR), extended reality (XR) and blockchain, as well as elements of social networks. Bloomberg Intelligence experts believe that the market potential of metaverse will reach $800 billion by 2024. At the same time, crypto giant Grayscale estimates the industry at $1 trillion in the segments of e-commerce, equipment, digital events and advertising.

Industry 4.0 in the metaverse

Some companies have already begun to implement the concept of the metaverse for business development, optimization of production activities and increased efficiency of interaction between various departments. In particular, we are talking about the use of the so-called "digital twins," that is, exact copies of real objects, for example, workshops, assembly lines or supply chains. Renault has already begun to evaluate such a model. And Hyundai presented its vision of metamobility at the CES 2022 consumer electronics show: the idea is to minimize space, time and distance binding. People will be able to move freely between the real and virtual worlds, interacting with avatars and digital copies of machines.

Education in the metaverse

The concept will take the learning process to a whole new level, making it more exciting and personalized. For example, without leaving their own home, users will be able to penetrate the human body, move back in time or study the flora and fauna of a region in VR form. But there is now a gap between the scientific community and the makers of educational applications for the metaverse, which could undermine the value of such a learning scheme.

Commerce in the metaverse

More and more brands are considering metaverse as a new platform for distributing goods and attracting customers. Moreover, we are talking about sales of not only ordinary products, but also virtual items, as well as NFT. In 2022, well-known brands such as Nike, Gucci and Adidas introduced special collections for metaverse. NFT galleries are opening in the virtual space, where artists and authors of digital works demonstrate their creations and put them up for sale.

Embassies and real estate in metaverse

Some states, such as Barbados, have considered opening their own embassies in the metaverse. Such virtual representative offices will be able to provide citizens with various services. A similar concept is adopted by individual cities. In addition, the acquisition of real estate in metaverse is gaining popularity: such objects can be leased or developed on their basis their own projects - to open fashion houses, various boutiques and other things.

Metaverse Games and Entertainment

AR, VR and XR technologies make it possible to implement completely new gaming and multimedia projects in metaverse. Thus, the Hong Kong platform The Sandbox has developed a decentralized virtual world in which users can hold various events, buy and sell digital assets, personalize their avatars, etc. Game market participants can create their own platforms based on metaverse to sell characters, various items and virtual values.^[5]

Sony started selling wearable devices for moving in metaverse

On November 29, 2022, Sony Group announced a system called Mocopi, which allows you to transfer user movements in [[Metaverses|metaverse. For sale in Japan, the novelty will arrive in January 2023 at an estimated price of $360. Read more here.

How the metafeeds will develop in 2023. Forrester forecast

At the end of October 2022, Forrester announced a forecast for the implementation of the metaverse concept. Analysts believe that in 2023 the development of this area will slow down somewhat due to the difficult geopolitical situation and various economic difficulties.

Fewer than half of online users say they are likely to ever become members of the metaverse, according to statistics. The huge financial costs of developing such projects have not yet paid off. For example, the Reality Labs division, which is also engaged in the development of the Meta Platforms metaverse (recognized as an extremist organization; activities on the territory of Russia are prohibited), loses billions of dollars. Many users leave this virtual world after the first month and never return.

Forrester experts believe that over time, the metaverse will turn into a kind of 3D layer of the Internet. But in 2023, users will continue to be cool about the corresponding concept. Forrester data suggests that the vast majority of consumers prefer a personal experience to a virtual one. Therefore, innovative solutions are needed, in particular, a hybrid approach that provides a qualitatively new level of experience.

In the medium term, the observed situation may play into the hands of IT giants. Companies will get extra time to build the necessary infrastructure and develop use cases for the metaverse. Forrester expects the technology to be popularized over time by adding metaverse-style expertise to collaboration solutions as additional features. In 2023, such tools may appear in Google, Slack, Webex or Zoom products. In general, analysts believe, metaverse require the introduction of completely new capabilities, and not "repackaging the available immersive impressions." But this will not happen in 2023, but later.^[6]

Asia metaverse growth to be explosive

Deloitte The metaverse report claims that the threat of metaverse influence GDP Asia on in by 2035 is about 0.8-1.4 trillion dollars per year, representing approximately 1.3-2.4% of total GDP. This became known on November 21, 2022.

Asia uses digital technology faster and with more optimism than the West.

Asia simply has no place with growth potential in the metaverse:

• More than 60% of the world's 15 to 24-year-olds live in Asia and Oceania.
• South Korea and China are leading the world in 5G adoption for November 2022.
• 12 Asian economies exported 81% of the total cost of cell phones and 75% of integrated circuits worldwide in 2021.
• India, the Philippines and pursue the directions of IT outsourcing.
• 1.3 billion mobile players across Asia, the Eastern mobile player base in the world.

The Asian economy is not afraid of new technologies. In most cases, the Asian population positively assesses the likelihood of an increase and a high probability of their daily life (78%, India 75, South Korea 63%, Singapore 58%).

Asia is poised for metaverse growth more than any other region.

Metaverse is one of the habitats where Asia leads^[7]

Renault launches world's first industrial metaverse

On November 14, 2022, it became known that the Renault Group auto giant launched the world's first industrial metaverse - a virtual environment that will increase the efficiency of car production and provide significant cost savings. Read more here.

Hutton unveiled its metaverse

In early October 2022, the Russian construction company Hutton presented its metaslot. In it, the developer introduces users to what architecture, design and art of the future can look like. Read more here.

Copies of Dubai and Abu Dhabi began to be created in the metaverse for $54.5 million

In early September 2022, information appeared that real copies of Dubai and Abu Dhabi would appear in the metaverse. The project launches Metaverse Holdings, which plans to invest $54.5 million in it. Read more here.

M.Video launched an electronics store in the metaverse

M.Video"" launched the store electronic engineers in, metauniverse Roblox which the retailer reported on September 1, 2022. It is modeled on the chain's existing retail outlets. More. here

Beijing has developed a roadmap for the development of NFT and metaverse technologies

The authorities Beijing have developed a roadmap for the development of technologies NFT and. metauniverses The corresponding plan, designed for 2022-2024, was presented on August 23, 2022. More. here

Nvidia unveils open set of metaverse creation tools

On August 10, 2022, Nvidia introduced a series of new tools for metaverse creators and developers to, as noted in the company, make life in digital worlds more realistic. Read more here.

Named 10 main trends in the field of metaverse for the coming years

On August 8, 2022, a study was published that named the top 10 trends in the metaverse for the next few years.

Augmented and Virtual Reality in Games

3D technology, AR and VR devices, and sound systems play an integral role in the virtual gaming industry. Against the background of the development of the metaverse, these technologies demonstrate exponential growth, which emphasizes their value and relevance to the modern market. According to the quarterly report of the International Data Corporation (IDC) Quarterly AR/VR Headset Tracker, in 2021 the AR and VR headset market will increase by 60.8%, with the Asia-Pacific region alone accounting for 2.19 million deliveries.

Metaverse activities

10.7 million users took part in the concerts of the Fortnite game online. The metaverse can approach $800 billion by organizing live events and advertising. Only Decentraland land plots - NFT tokens, digital land plots in Decentraland Metaverse - and other NFTs provided more than 75 thousand sales totaling almost $25 million.

Programmable world

As the metaverse sphere develops, so does the ability to control and manipulate them. Increasing the number of applications and tools for managing and configuring virtual worlds is an integral factor in the development of the entire industry.

Improving avatars in the metaverse

Metaverse trends also indicate that avatars are becoming increasingly advanced. Corporations such as Meta and Microsoft focus on improving digital avatars that fit into the business environment.

Motion tracking

Since for high-quality interaction in the digital world it will be necessary to track movements in the real world, the development of tracking technologies will become one of the main priorities in the coming years.

3D Digital Twin Technology

Another force that can completely change the way consumers do business and perceive, interact and analyze the world is the technology of digital 3D twins. This technology creates a complete 3D virtual and spatially accurate model of any building or room. This means that enterprises will be able to create exact copies of physical objects, which will then function as separate departments.

Consumers can use digital twin technology to virtually try on clothes and familiarize themselves with new stores before they open. They can also visualise and see if the new furniture will work before making a home purchase from the comfort of your home.

NFT Cryptoprojects

NFTs, or non-interchangeable tokens, are one-of-a-kind digital objects. NFTs are bound to the blockchain as a unique entity. NFTs are used in a wide variety of crypto projects. For example, Decentraland is a metaverse of the virtual world where the sale of NFT land is a thriving industry. And Axie Infinity even binds virtual animals to unique NFTs so they can be raised or sold. The growth of this industry will continue to be observed in the future.

Cloud Computing

Immersive and universal aspects of the metaverse will continually require cloud computing to process, store, and analyze data generated by platforms. The metaverse platform will not be successful if it cannot provide a flawless user experience or scales hard.

Virtual art galleries

Virtual art galleries are among the widespread industry trends in the metaverse, as their market value is estimated at $2.4 billion. Virtual art galleries are a new kind of immersive space where artists and creators of digital works can showcase their NFT exhibitions for collectors, and art fans can experience a sensational virtual environment and even trade their favorite works.

about Science data

The metaverse will collect a huge amount of data that it will extract and use almost instantly. While the metaverse is based on distributed technology such as blockchain, it is necessary to ensure that the data obtained in one part of the metaverse is reflected in the user's experience in another. Therefore, studying the next generation of data engineering becomes a key direction of education in the metaverse world.^[8]

Dubai announces plans to create 40,000 jobs in metaverse

Dubai authorities announced the launch of the Dubai Metaverse project, designed to create 40,000 additional virtual jobs in five years and bring $4 billion to the budget. This became known on July 19, 2022. Read more here.

VK took up the development of the metaverse for the first e-sportsmen in Russia

As it became known on June 16, 2022, the VK holding took up the development of the metaverse for Russia's first Olympics of e-sportsmen - "Games of the Future." They will be held in Kazan in February 2024. Read more here.

World's first metaverse immersion room released

On May 26, 2022, the Chinese company STEPVR, specializing in the research and development of VR technologies, presented in Beijing a VR project called Gates01. An omnidirectional movement system and technical equipment that enables the perception of all five senses allows users to enter the virtual world for sports, entertainment, education and work. The manufacturer positions its product as the world's first metaverse immersion room. Read more here.

Russia has all the necessary technologies for the development of metaverse, but no one is ready to create them yet

Russian developers have a full set of technologies for launching metaverse, but in the coming years Russia they will not be engaged in their creation. This opinion was shared with TAdviser by a source in a company owned by Sberbank. SberDevices According to him, priorities have shifted and now all forces are thrown into the launch of application systems and user products, and there will not be enough resources for metaverse. Moreover, even those projects that were announced are likely to leave Russia, because they were originally built as global.

TAdviser spoke with metaverse technology developers to understand the situation in more detail.

Metaverse - Global Projects

In 2021, several metaverse, Russian or Russian projects were announced. So, in November 2021, the game developer from Yakutsk, MyTona, announced the launch of Mytonaverse, the company was registered in New Zealand. However, already in March 2022, Mytonaverse was renamed Hublix and any mention that it was launched by immigrants from Russia disappeared on the project's website.

The international metaverse project Sensorium, which was invested by Russian entrepreneur Mikhail Prokhorov in 2018, announced its launch until the end of 2021 in the spring of 2021, but by May 2022 it had not started. The company itself refrained from commenting. Read more about the development of the project here.

For the launch of metaverse in Russia there is everything except the market

Marina Glushchenko, general director of the design of the VizArt studio, which develops VR/AR, believes that Russia has all the technologies and teams to create metaverse, but there is no audience that can fully use them.

Metaverses are technologically no different from multiplayer games. We have experienced teams that create game worlds, we have world-class designers who work for foreign customers, we have the highest class programmers, we even have a local 3D engine Unigine. And yet the metaverse that domestic developers create is aimed at English-speaking users, because in North America and Europe there is a higher level of penetration of VR gadgets and solvent demand for digital goods. Companies working for the domestic market so far see that in Russia an expensive metaverse project will not pay off, says Marina Glushchenko.

Existing metaverse, according to Glushchenko, work on desktop computers, however, the user experience with a VR helmet and on a PC varies greatly. The computer screen does not give the depth of immersion that a VR headset user has. Existing metaverses offer fairly primitive visualization, often based on ready-made libraries, which, for example, are available from Unreal Engine. Computer versions of metaverses are not very attractive to users, so even Russian giants such as VK, which have everything to launch the project, are in no hurry to do so.

At the official request of TAdviser , the Sberbank group reported that they did not comment on the topic. VK, which creates multiplayer games, including VR, replied that metaverses are not in their area of ​ ​ interest.

It cannot be ruled out that we will not have entertainment projects before, but professional ones intended, for example, for training employees. Some large corporations are already actively using VR in services. Custom domestic metaverse are likely to be created when affordable gadgets such as inexpensive VR helmets or budget AR glasses appear on the market. Today, the penetration rate of such headsets even in the world is insignificant, - the CEO of VizArt shared with TAdviser.

According to IDChttps ^[9], just over 11.2 million VR/AR gadgets were sold in 2021, 8.7 million of which is the Oculus Quest 2 VR helmet. For comparison, during the same time, according to ^[10] report, 1.35 billion smartphones were sold worldwide.

Foreign metaverse - a new sales channel for Russian business

Anastasia Slavuta, deputy director of the Belarusian software developer Jasnasoft, told TAdviser that there is an interest in metaverse in the CIS market.

We help brands go out into the metaverse. We are talking mainly about representatives of the fashion industry and e-commerce, but we have customers from the service sector. For example, we are now preparing a project for a photo artist who plans to use the metaverse to sell and demonstrate his works and services. Moreover, interest in the technology is growing very quickly, last year the orders were single, and already in this we receive 2-3 applications per day. Companies are mainly interested in advertising opportunities, but customers who have tried the service are beginning to understand that much more can be obtained from metaverse. For example, they open access to a new audience and audience of competitors, this is a source of unique data about customers and user behavior, a new omnichannel experience and a new sales channel that is not limited to anything, "Anastasia Slavuta shared with TAdviser.

The company is working with Decentraland, SandBox and Roblox, according to Jasnasoft's deputy director. However, the market is changing rapidly, new metaverse appear regularly, and as early as next year, the list of "partner" metaverse may change radically. As Anastasia Slavuta notes, the output of the brand to the metaverse is divided into several stages, a long-term strategy is created for each client, which takes into account the specifics of the client, his goals and budget. We begin work on entering the metaverse with the creation of an NFT collection, the formation of a community and the heating of interest around the created NFTs. Next, a decision is made in which metaverse to enter and which object to build there. The project itself can take up to a year.

Anastasia Slavuta believes that market growth in the CIS countries is constrained by a fairly high threshold for entering metaverse for brands. So, the cost of "land" in the popular metaverse Decentraland in April 2022 begins with 6 thousand dollars for the smallest plot and reaches $675 thousand for the plot on Fashion Street. Only the commission for placing one digital item in Decentraland will now cost $500, and if we are talking about a collection of clothes, then this translates into a significant amount. And also design, rendering and development of the space itself and objects (store, gallery, etc.) and building logic in it.

With a reasonable approach, metaverse opens up new almost unlimited business opportunities. This is the opportunity to work with new cross-border payment instruments, and business diversification through the sale of digital goods, and almost complete independence from the country of origin of the brand and the localization of product production, - said Anastasia Slavuta.

Emirates develops NFT and metaverse

In mid-April 2022, Emirates announced the creation of a brand name in the field of metaverse (Emirates Metaverse), as well as collectible and useful non-replaceable tokens for its customers and employees. The first projects are already being implemented, and their launch is expected in the summer in 2022. Read more here.

South Korean authorities announce state metaverse project and invest $187 million in it

At the end of February 2022, the South Korean government announced the allocation of $187 million for the implementation of the national metaverse project Expanded Virtual World, which, according to the authorities, will contribute to the prosperity of business and industry in the state. The head of the Department of Communications and Policy of the Ministry Pak Yungyuv his statement said that this initiative to create a virtual platform is part of a broader course on digital technologies that the country has chosen. Read more here.

Qualcomm has created a company to develop metaverse in Europe

In early February 2022, Qualcomm announced the creation of XR Labs in Europe to further develop a community of developers of augmented and virtual reality tools, as well as technologies for metaverse. Read more here.

MTS launched an incubator for technology developers for metaverse

February 3, 2022 MTS announced the launch of an incubator for startups those creating technologies in ARVR the field of/-technology, holograms XR platforms and other solutions that will work in, metauniverses as well as for projects in the field unmanned vehicles and digital industry. Read more here.

Roskomnadzor called digital currencies and cybersex the main threats from metaverse

On February 2, 2022 Scientific and Technical Center (NTC) GRCC (framework) Roskomnadzor published the full version of a study looking at the opportunities and risks associated with metaverse development.

According to experts, one of the problems of metaverses is the creation of virtual avatars based on personal data of people, as well as the use of cybersex with tactile sensations by these avatars.

The use of extended reality (XR) to sense tactile impulses also rethinks the experience of cybersex, and there is a threat in the capabilities of cybersex with minors, the formation of various deviations, the report says.

The problem of identifying avatars also makes identity and personal data vulnerable to copying, erasing and manipulation, the researchers believe.

The GRCC also considered that the dominance of digital currencies in the metaverse would lead to a violation of political boundaries due to the impossibility of legislation to regulate sales chains. There is also a risk of stores in virtual spaces with prohibited substances.

The representative of the supervisory authority, in an interview with Kommersant, noted that in Russia "it is necessary to develop mechanisms for self-regulation of the processes taking place in the metaverse."

The concerns of the GRCC are similar to those expressed for decades by ordinary people who are not familiar with technology about computer games and Internet services, said Yaroslav Shitsle, head of the IT&IP Dispute Resolution section of Rustam Kurmaev and Partners.

{{quote 'Metaverse is the next step in the development of online games and training services, only they are more close to reality. Such a service cannot create another political system, erasure of personality, moral decomposition, "he said^{[11] [12]}}}

ByteDance launched a social network in metaverse format

At the end of January 2022, ByteDance announced the launch of a social network in Mateverse format, whose users will be able to interact in a virtual community through avatars. Read more here.

Panasonic introduced a personal air conditioner for feeling cold and hot in metaverse

In early January 2022, Panasonic introduced the Pebble Feel wearable thermoregulation system designed to work in metaverse. Read more here.

Opening an H&M store in the metaverse

On January 3, 2022, global apparel brand H&M announced that the company would offer its customers a 3D shopping experience in its virtual store in metaverseCeek city. Users will be able to walk around the store, select the product they need and purchase it. Read more here.

2021

Sales of virtual real estate in metaverse are estimated at $0.5 billion

Real estate sales in the metaverse exceeded $500 million in 2021 and could double in 2022. Such data were provided by MetaMetric Solutions analysts in early February 2022.

According to experts, real estate sales on the four main metaverse platforms (Sandbox, Decentraland, Cryptovoxels and Somnium) reached $501 million in 2021. In January alone, the figure exceeded $85 million. Analysts predict that at such a pace, sales could reach almost $1 billion in 2022. The four platforms have a total of 268,645 sites of varying sizes.

In November 2021, real estate sales grew almost 9 times, to $133 million. This happened after Facebook changed its name to Meta and announced the creation of its own metaverse. Researchers at BrandEssence Market Research suggest that the real estate market in metaverse will increase by 31% annually - from 2022 to 2028.

The leader in sales of virtual land plots is Sandbox. In December 2021, each of the 166,464 96 x 96 m lots sold for $12,700, with sales held in. The 16 to cryptocurrency Ethereum x 16 m lot at Decentraland is worth $14,440, totaling 90,600.

Republic Realm paid a record $4.3 million for land on the largest metaverse platform Sandbox. The company is developing 100 islands called fantasy islands, with its own villas and a corresponding boat and jet ski market. Ninety islands were sold on the first day for $15 thousand each, and some are now put up for resale for more than $100 thousand.

There are big risks but also potentially big benefits, "noted Republic Realm CEO Janine Yorio.

He added that the value of land in the metaverse would be determined by what the owners would do with the property, such as designing a popular landmark, a museum, rather than a location.^[13]

Analysts of the GRCC, subordinate to Roskomnadzor, investigated the emerging metaselons and warned of their threats

The scientific and technical center of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Main Radio Frequency Center" (GRCC), which is part of the Ministry of Digital Development, analyzed the emerging trends in the digital world in the study "Metaverse: Opportunities and Risks of a New Reality." Analysts drew attention to the fact that with the increase in the amount of time that users spend on the Internet, a new model of consumption of digital content is being formed and an ecosystem of virtual life is emerging.

People are already ready to invest heavily in "Internet property," including digital real estate, digital fashion, premium cars, and more. So, the researchers draw attention to the fact that in 2019 the digital dress from the digital fashion house The Fabricant was sold for $9,500, in July 2021 the automaker Ferrari released its latest model in the game Fortnite, and in August Ralph Lauren offered a collection of digital clothes of 50 items in the social network application Zepeto. Specialized digital products for the metaverse are produced by such well-known brands as Adidas, Puma, The North Face, Balenciaga, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Vans, Aston Martin, Maserati, Tesla, Rolls-Royce, Hyundai Motor and many others. And, of course, developers of games and companies specializing in digital technologies are investing in digital accessories and avatar development.

Moreover, the Internet is beginning to be used for therapeutic purposes, the concept of metamedicine has appeared. For example, doctors already prescribe video games to treat cognitive dysfunction. So, in June 2020, Akili Interactive's EndeavourRx game was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making it the world's first video game to treat attention deficit disorder in children. In 2021, this game was tested as a means of treating patients with COVID-19, who have the so-called "brain fog," that is, difficulties with thinking and solving cognitive problems.

Games for global business are becoming new marketing platforms on which hypotheses are tested and models are worked out. Large companies are striving to create their in-game branded representative offices. For example, Fortnite and Roblox cross-platform games have been establishing partnerships with brands for several years, creating specialized locations. Moreover, the initiative comes from both game developers and brands, for example, Streamline Media Group in 2021 developed the video game Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow for Balenciaga, which presents the autumn collection of the fashion house.

Analysts of the STC GRCC, who studied digital trends, draw attention to the fact that despite the rapid growth of the digital industry, the popularity of games and the rapid increase in advertising budgets in the metaverse, many key issues remain unresolved. Thus, the digital world opens up wide possibilities for distorting ideas about reality, manipulation and disinformation. It is impossible to remove these questions using methods used in the real world in the new emerging universe.

According to analysts, the emerging metaverse will have a significant cultural impact on society and people's behavior in the real world. In the metaverse, we should expect a decrease in the importance of moral and ethical norms due to the use of a virtual avatar, which people do not fully relate to themselves. Children whose consciousness is still being formed are most susceptible to the deforming effect of the digital environment.

In addition, researchers from the STC GRCC draw attention to the fact that it is not yet clear how the laws in the metaverse will work, how it will be possible to demand the implementation of national legislation in a virtual world in which there are no borders. These mechanisms have not yet been worked out. Analysts warn that the current principles of currency regulation will be violated in the metaverse, since digital instruments, rather than national payment systems, will be used significantly more often to buy in the digital environment over time. Another designated problem is that user activity will generate significant amounts of personal, biometric, financial and emotional data. Now states are trying to control this issue, but it will be much more difficult to do this in the metaverse.

The first metaverse was presented in China

On December 27, 2021, Chinese internet giant Baidu officially announced the release of its first metaverse application, which was used to host the annual developer conference. More Chinese tech companies are joining the global race for supremacy in the new field that metaverse are. Read more here.

Investors Start Buying Land in Metaverse and Spend Millions on It

A plot of virtual real estate in the online world Decentraland was sold for a record amount of $2.4 million. This became known in November 2021. Read more here.

Putin announced the duty of the authorities to protect the avatars of Russians in the metaverse

The protection of Russians and their virtual counterparts in cyberspace should be dealt with by the state, President Russia Vladimir Putin said on November 12^[14]

The state should take responsibility for storing critical information. This is not about ensuring the cybersecurity of the person himself, but also his virtual double - an avatar inside the emerging metaseles, - RBC quotes Putin.

When using cyberspace, questions increasingly arise about the protection of personal data and digital payments, countering manipulations with the preferences and actions of citizens, the Russian president drew attention.

Putin said the term "metaverse," coined 30 years ago, suggests that in this space people are fleeing the flaws of reality. However, now it is better to use the concept of metaverse for distance communication and learning.

Nvidia has joined the ranks of the "lords of the metaverse." CEO Jensen Huang - on why it's not hype

In November 2021, following Facebook and Microsoft, Nvidia joined the ranks of the "rulers of the metaverse." The head of the company, Jensen Huang, announced updates to the Nvidia line of solutions that allow you to create virtual worlds and interact in them, including interaction through avatars. This is primarily about the new capabilities of the Nvidia Omniverse platform, originally designed to work with 3D graphics in various organizations, and Nvidia's AI technologies.

Jensen Huang is confident that the metaverse is not a hype. Answering TAdviser's questions during a press briefing, he noted that if he had changed the word "metaverse," it would be about virtual worlds indistinguishable from the real world.

As an example, Nvidia CEO cited the creation of virtual production models using robots. In such a simulated reality with digital twins of both production facilities and the robots themselves, the latter can be trained as if they are in real production. Or we can talk, for example, about modeling virtual environments for transport that are indistinguishable from real ones.

To create such virtual worlds, you need not some kind of game engine, but an engine based on physics. In virtual worlds, all objects must obey the laws of physics, says Jensen Huang, and such worlds are already in use.

For example, telecom company Ericsson, for example, using the Omniverse platform, creates digital twins of the city level in order to accurately simulate the impact of the environment, surrounding objects on 5G networks and provide the best performance and coverage. Nvidia CEO noted that in this case, radio systems in a virtual environment obey physical laws.

I think that the virtual world will be larger than the real one in terms of economy. For virtual worlds, more things will be created - buildings, houses, cars, clothing, bags, etc., than for the real world. Because physical worlds must obey the laws of conservation of mass and energy, and this does not apply to the virtual world, "said Jensen Huang in a conversation with TAdviser.

He added that virtual worlds are the future, and that they already have applications today.

As for the potentially possible cooperation of Nvidia with Facebook and Microsoft in the field of metaverse, the company apparently does not have any specific plans in this area:

Nvidia is building technology platforms. This is not a service or software company: we do not create service or software platforms. We are developing the engines necessary to make virtual worlds a reality. Therefore, we are going to focus on what applies to this, from modeling engines to computing engines and infrastructure, security, etc.

I must say that even before the Nvidia announcements, which mentioned the metaverse, analysts in the financial sector in early November noted the company's potential in this field, based on the profile of its activities. So, on November 4, analysts at the Wells Fargo banking holding company raised their estimate of the target value of Nvidia shares by about 30%, saying that it has prospects for participating in the creation of metaverse. As a result, Nvidia shares rose 15% that day, to $306.72.

Microsoft, following Facebook, decided to create a metaverse

Microsoft, following Facebook, decided to create its own metaverse. At the first stage, the company plans to add 3D user avatars and virtual spaces for collaboration and communication to its Teams video conferencing service.

The new feature will be based on Microsoft Mesh mixed reality technology, introduced earlier in 2021. It allows you to unite users of different devices - from smartphones and PCs to VR helmets - in one virtual space.

It will be possible to use 3D avatars both in three-dimensional spaces and in ordinary video conferencing. Virtual world users will be able to share files in Microsoft Office programs, including PowerPoint presentations, Bloomberg points out. Microsoft's algorithms will analyze the user's voice and animate the avatar based on its intonations, Microsoft Mesh chief product manager Katie Kelly told The Verge^[15].

Zuckerberg: Metaverse to create 'hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of digital commerce market

Chapter Meta (ex. Facebook) Mark Zuckerberg believes the metaverse will create a digital commerce market worth "hundreds of billions of dollars." To achieve such indicators, the company has already allocated more than $10 billion for the development of the ecosystem. Moreover, the company intends to increase investment in the next few years. The money will go to products, services and other augmented and virtual reality projects. ^[16]Zuckerberg also said he hopes the Meta metaverse will grow to a billion in 10 years.

Facebook announced the start of the creation of a "metaverse"

In July 2021, Facebook founder and CEO (renamed Meta in October 2021) Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview with The Verge that Facebook would soon move from a company considered a social network to a metaverse company. According to him, the Facebook metaverse will work on virtual reality headsets, as well as on mobile devices and game consoles. Zuckerberg, speaking about the timing of Facebook's "metaverse," said, "Five years or so,^[17].

The metaverse of Facebook should become a platform for communication, a platform for self-expression, a place for entertainment.

In the same month, Facebook Vice President Andrew Bosworth, responsible for AR and VR technology, revealed that Facebook is recruiting a metaverse development team to become part of Facebook Reality Labs' virtual and augmented reality projects.

According to Bosworth, a feature of the metaverse will be the ability to sense the physical presence of another person through digital spaces. He noted that already now "Portal and Oculus can teleport you to a room with another person, regardless of physical distance, or to new virtual worlds and experiences."

But for a complete vision of the metaverse, we need to build connective tissue between these spaces so that you can remove the limitations of physics and move between them with the same ease as moving from one room to another, "said a Facebook top manager.

2020

Na'Vi's plans to build a gaming metaverse

In December 2020, Na'Vi announced a partnership with the DMarket platform. As part of the collaboration, the companies plan to develop a project for the new Navination gaming universe. In it, fans of the team will be able to create, sell and buy digital items, receive an endless number of prizes and gifts from partners and the team itself, as well as travel to world championships with club players.

You can access the universe using the Drop application. The more time Navi fans devote to their favorite team, the higher the return on the Navination metaverse.

During broadcasts, registered viewers will receive pieces of digital and physical items - from which fans will be able to create game mice, unique digital badges, club jersey, meetings and games with the stars, and even a trip to the championship with the players of their favorite team. Items can also be sold or exchanged on the DMarket^[18] platform^[19] will be^[20].

Who will create the metaverse - the Internet universe of the future?

The next version of the internet is often described as "metaverse," a term generated by science fiction that describes a shared virtual space that is constantly online and active, even without logging on. It will have its own economy, full of jobs, buying area and media for consumption. Many believe that the metaverse is inevitable, and the C-suite ("upper echelon") in Silicon Valley is obsessed with the idea.

There has been serious talk in recent years about how to build a metaverse, and who will do it first. To understand the desire with which companies are rushing to populate this next front, you only need to witness the success of Facebook and Google on the Internet today, given how both companies dominate the digital business. Watching this drive, there is a real possibility that Fortnite, the video game that has become a global phenomenon that has turned celebrities into players and players into celebrities, has laid the foundations for the future of the internet right before our eyes.

The conversation about a more tangible Internet seems to be very relevant in light of the current reality in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Office culture has coalesced around video chat platforms such as Zoom, while personal cultural events such as weddings and graduations are held at Nintendo Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The metaverse not only seems realistic - it would probably be quite useful right now.

In recent years, Facebook, Google and Samsung have made big investments in cloud computing and virtual reality companies in anticipation of the metaverse. Facebook Horizon, announced in 2019, is a virtual reality social space designed to serve the metaverse. Google's shared workspace tools, based on investments in cloud computing over the years, have been small but important steps to institutionalize internet culture. But it's Epic Games and Fortnite that have the most viable path to create the metaverse, according to an essay by venture capitalist and former Amazon executive Matthew Ball^[21]

1992: Emergence of the word "metaverse"

The word "metaverse" was invented by the American science fiction writer Neil Stevenson in the novel "Avalanche," which was published in 1992. With this word, the writer called the virtual world where the avatars of real people live. A similar concept was then found in other fantasy novels, such as Ernest Kline's "The First Player to Prepare."

Notes