Metaverse vs virtual reality

 When talking about Metaverse we come across terms and idioms that often generate confusion or
are used inaccurately: let’s try to clarify one of the fundamental misunderstandings.

WHAT IS VIRTUAL REALITY?

Virtual Reality is a technology born from the combination of hardware and software, which together offer the possibility of entering a digital space in three dimensions, within which the user can move. Access to VR is available thanks to the visors and accessories (not only joypads, but also gloves, shoes and more) developed to interact and live within this artificial reality.

Thanks to this interaction, it becomes possible to create a simulated and tridimensional world that appears as real to the users’ eyes. And just as in reality, the virtual/real environment within which someone is immersed can be explored in every single centimeter and in every direction. The users will only have to turn the head to see what is happening at sides or lift it upwards to see the rain falling on the head. The viewer, and the software it uses, will keep track of the movements of the head to adapt perspective and view to our position and offer realistic images.

WHAT IS THE METAVERSE?

Metaverse is taking shape as a part of reality that is added to our daily experience offline, online and on social network.

We can broadly define it as a new step of the evolution of the communication, if not even a New Internet, a new tridimensional, immersive, interactive and persistent world, in which we can enter through immersive devices (as in the case of virtual reality) thanks to an avatar that reproduces our real presence in digital, in interconnection with the virtual experiences of other users. The avatar and the possibility of connecting to others constitute the true vector of an immersive communication experience, no longer limited to a 2d profile, which brings into the virtual interaction elements of body language and self-expression through first-person movements and behavior. 

The experience of the remote interaction, increasingly common, and what we have experienced in recent years regarding travel, physical presence, synchronous and asynchronous digital communication, have led us to look for new ways and solutions: we need more than a 2D face on a screen, and also increasingly aware of how certain communication and interaction habits are not beneficial for individuals, companies, or even ecosystem.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN METAVERSE AND VIRTUAL REALITY?

The macro-difference can be identified in the fact that, within the Metaverse, people, represented by their avatars, can explore, connect and, above all, interact with each other, whereas in virtual reality one can only look at and manipulate what one is surrounded by. The interconnection of the experiences of the various users is a key feature to help us distinguish.

The Metaverse is not limited to Virtual Reality, as it can also be enjoyed in a non-immersive mode, e.g., through a tablet or PC.

Furthermore, in the Metaverse it is possible to try different types of experiences, such as attending a product presentation and appreciating every detail, through the manipulation of the respective digital twin. Above all, interaction, with objects and with others, is something fundamental to be considered in order to differentiate the two experiences.

Another fundamental characteristic of the Metaverse is the fact that the virtual space is shared and therefore exists independently of the presence of someone within it. For example, if I am moving an object in the Metaverse and for whatever reason I find myself having to leave the platform, the moment I log in again, the same object will be placed where I left it before leaving the Metaverse, unless of course someone else has moved it. When I am not there, the Metaverse, with its other inhabitants, continues to exist.

This is not the case in virtual reality used in entertainment, for example, because the moment the visor is switched off, the experience ends.

After analyzing even so briefly the features of the Metaverse and virtual reality, we can say that the latter is certainly among the most important basic technologies that allow us access to the Metaverse, but it is limited to only certain functionalities and is, indeed, a technology.

The Metaverse is a virtual universe with enormous potential and in gradual development, embodying to all intents and purposes the 3D evolution of Internet. When browsing web pages, users, thanks to their avatar, can literally navigate within the contents of the Metaverse, and explore the infinity of possible innovations that it offers thanks to constantly evolving technologies.