The Metaverse is a virtual platform that is slated to become the successor to the internet as it ushers in the next stage of technology. As a fully immersive 3D experience, the inner workings of the Metaverse can get complex. With that said, there are three key aspects of the Metaverse that allow it to work in the way it does.

These aspects are presence, interoperability, and standardization. Each one has a unique and important job in allowing the Metaverse to run. Without one, you won’t get the other three. In order for the Metaverse to run smoothly, all three aspects need to work together in unison.

In this guide, we’re going to explain each of the three key aspects and why they’re important to the Metaverse.

Presence, in regards to the Metaverse, is the actual feeling of being within the virtual world. When you can physically feel your online presence, it’s been shown to greatly improve the quality of your experience while online. To achieve that feeling of being present, it’s easiest to use a VR headset to immerse yourself in the world.

The same sentiment is true for anyone who likes playing games or interacting on social media outside of the Metaverse. When we can feel the presence in a game with excellent graphics, it makes us want to play the game longer. When we post on social media and feel seen and heard, it makes us want to continue conversations with online friends.

The next aspect we’re going to cover is interoperability. Interoperability refers to a person’s ability to jump in between virtual worlds with ease. Rather than changing digital assets within each world, interoperability allows you to jump through Metverses while using the same avatar and other digital items.

There are a variety of applications that allow users to create an avatar to be used throughout hundreds of platforms. Some of these include ReadyPlayerMe and Animaze. These two apps not only allow you to create game characters, but you can also use your avatar in zoom meetings.

As far as the transferring of these digital assets goes, the process is typically carried out on the blockchain through the use of cryptocurrency or NFTs.

The third and final key aspect of the Metaverse is standardization. Standardization is what enables interoperability within the platforms across the Metaverse and beyond. In retrospect, you can’t have interoperability without standardization. When it comes to standardization in the Metaverse, standards are created by the Open Metaverse Interoperability Group.

This group’s mission is to bridge virtual worlds by designing and promoting protocols for identity, social graphs, inventory, and beyond. With a world as large as the Metaverse is designed to be, having standards is important to ensure smooth operation.

Within the global tech industry, the Metaverse has been talked up to be the successor to the internet. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill, so who builds it and how the Metaverse is built is integral in ensuring it can live up to the expectations we’re putting on it.

While the Metaverse isn’t the fully immersive oasis we want it to be yet, spending as much time as possible ensuring it runs smoothly is essential. After all, what are we supposed to do if we rush the process and the entire world crashes as a result? As the next in line to the throne after the internet, the Metaverse is important for a myriad of reasons from connecting with friends and family to revolutionizing medicine.

-Sarah