Think twice before you use the term ‘’Metaverse’’
Some essential clarifications…
It is high time we establish a clear understanding of what constitutes the metaverse and what does not. As I embark on my third year of the research on metaverse for my phd, I have frequently encountered various web articles, research papers, business reports, and blog posts discussing the metaverse, its potential in the tourism industry, its characteristics, and factors driving its adoption. However, amidst this vast body of literature, there seems to be a confusion where different terms are used interchangeably to describe distinct concepts. There have been instances where popular online games are referred to as metaverses, and digital twin applications are labeled similarly. Furthermore, mirror worlds and virtual worlds are often conflated with the metaverse. It is imperative that we bring clarity to this matter and dispel any confusion. Please keep in mind that there are no interchangeable terms, but rather erroneously interchangeable usage of those terms.
Digital Twins: When referring to Digital Twins, we are discussing virtual representations of physical entities that are faithfully recreated in a digital environment. A digital twin itself does not constitute a metaverse; however, a metaverse can encompass one or multiple digital twins. For instance, a digital twin in the tourism industry could be an exact digital replica of a hotel, accurately portraying its spaces, such as the lobby, halls, rooms, gardens, or pools. If a user explores these spaces, they are not within the metaverse. However, in a metaverse, one can encounter a hotel resembling the aforementioned digital twin. Exploring the spaces of a hotel in this manner does not mean being in the metaverse, rather, it means exploring the Digital Twin. It is important to highlight that a basic characteristic of digital twins is a seamless flow of information between the digital and physical aspects of an entity. In a metaverse world, one can find multiple digital twins representing various entities like hotels, shops, houses, parks, and more. Dr. M. Grieves initiated and substantiated the Digital Twin technology in 2002; however, it is worth noting that NASA had already developed the first digital twin in the 1960s to simulate the circumstances surrounding the launch and explosion of Apollo rocket.
Mirror World: Taking it a step further, if the collaboration of all these digital twins forms a cohesive system representing a larger physical entity like a town, city, or even a country, then we are dealing with a mirror world. Still not a metaverse, but a Mirror World. Therefore, although a mirror world is distinct from a metaverse, within the metaverse one can encounter mirror worlds. The concept of mirror worlds was introduced by D. Gelernter in his book titled “Mirror Worlds” in 1992. In this work, the author envisioned a mirror world representing a city, where real-time information flow and direct interaction between the physical world and the digital city were enabled.
Multiuser Role Playing Online Games: At times, popular online games like World of Warcraft, Lineage II, League of Legends, Aion Online etc have been mistakenly labeled as metaverses. However, there exists a clear distinction between metaverse and an online game. The disparity lies in the fact that a metaverse serves as a parallel digital world to the real one, free of missions or goals or quests to be completed, typically found in online games. The metaverse provides a digital realm for users to interact with anyone and anything, establishing a strong connection with real life. Instead, online games can be categorized as virtual worlds, but they should not be classified as metaverses under any circumstances. The fact that users interact with each other in real-time and are represented by avatars within these games falls short of justifying their designation as metaverses.
VR / AR platforms : Lastly, it is important to address the mischaracterization of several VR or AR environments as metaverses, which is once again incorrect. A VR or an AR application is simply an application. For instance, exploring a virtual world, such as an exotic island, using a VR headset at a travel agency to determine whether or not to visit it does not constitute a metaverse. The primary distinguishing factor is the lack of persistency in these environments, meaning that once the user logs out, the world ceases to exist. Persistency is a core characteristic of metaverses. Even if a virtual environment is persistent, it still cannot be classified as a metaverse if it lacks real-time interaction with other users. The presence of all these criteria — persistence, real-time interaction with other users — must be met (among others) before we can consider an environment as a potential metaverse.
So, what exactly is the metaverse? If only a few things can be rightfully called a metaverse, then what does it truly entail? The metaverse is a 3D digital environment that provides a space for people to interact, work, socialise, generate income, seek information, play, and essentially lead a parallel life to their real one. It can consist of virtual spaces, digital twins, and mirror worlds. Not every corner of the metaverse needs to be an exact replica of the real world, nor does it have to be purely fictional — it can encompass both. The metaverse is a culmination of various technologies working in conjunction; it is not ‘’a technology’’, as it is often mistakenly characterized. Among these technologies, we can mention blockchain technology with its lifelogging, smart contracts, NFTs, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized applications (DApps). Additionally, digital twins, mirror worlds, high-speed connectivity like 5G-6G, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), avatars, artificial intelligence (AI) including virtual beings that integrate AI and avatars, and edge/fog computing are just a few examples. It is through the collaboration of these technologies that a comprehensive and practical metaverse can be created.
