Now, while some people will be entirely up to speed on the latest buzzword to hit town, others may not be so in the know. So, we will begin with a description of what a metaverse is and how mobile developers need to prepare for the future. A metaverse is a virtual-reality space where users will interact with each other and the computer-generated environment they’re populating.
Naturally, more people than ever are talking about the potential for creating metaverses because of Facebook’s recent name change to Meta. And Mark Zuckerberg has announced that he will hire 10,000 people in Europe to enable the development of a metaverse. This news and recent market analysis of the tech sector show that the interest in investing in this new platform and tech companies already have created ripple effects in the sector.
Videos games such as Fortnite and Roblox, which have been ported to mobile successfully, are prime examples of games with metaverse potential. They’re both titles contained within their own bespoke universes, where players can come together.
And not just for gaming. We have seen music concerts in both, with KSI recently performing a virtual gig in Roblox. Of course, Fortnite and Roblox both happen to be incredibly popular titles, too, across all platforms, so the signs are good.
It’s worth noting that because of the technological advancements made with smartphones over the last decade, more people than ever before now prefer to use their mobile for gaming because they get the high-quality experience and the convenience that comes with using a portable device.
So, if mobile gaming is very much the present and the future, and developers can adapt to the metaverse trend, nothing stops them from going down this avenue. Of course, there have been flashes in the pan where new tech has appeared as then vanished or failed to hit the heights expected, but when big money investors and leading companies such as Facebook believe in it so much, you can be sure it’s here to stay.
The likelihood is that, for now, things will move from being in the early stages to a playground where big tech companies and developers with serious money to throw at it will battle it out. The likes of Facebook and Epic Games spring to mind as two companies are looking to become leaders where metaverse is concerned. But, it doesn’t mean that in time, there won’t be a role to play for mobile developers because you could suggest the tools are already in place.
Virtual reality devices such as headsets are compatible with mobile, and they continue to improve as time goes on. In addition, NFTs have arrived on the scene, and this tech could be vital in incorporating a virtual economy, of which digital assets, which NFTs are, will be a part. And reliable and fast connectivity is already rolling out in the form of 5G. So it may be worth mobile developers watching developments closely for a while, but adapting to metaverse could become essential faster than anyone can predict.