A primer on the Metaverse: The next iteration of the Internet

Since my article on WebVR last month, I’ve gotten requests to better explain the concept of the Metaverse and why I’ve declared WebVR the undisputed missing link that will finally spark the next iteration of the Internet. WebVR is the free JavaScript API developed by Mozilla that lets you drive VR experiences through a web browser. It has recently enjoyed a surge of support in the industry thanks to the increasing focus on the “immersive web” being pushed by the likes of Google, Oculus, Samsung, and Microsoft. WebVR can deliver immersive online experiences without downloads or installs, and it maintains all of the rights and freedoms we have all grown accustomed to with the Internet like open, affordable access, which is partly why it stands in a league of its own. But the most exciting thing about WebVR — and the community around it — is that it is building a new version of the Internet — an immersive version, called the Metaverse. Ever since Neal Stephenson’s 1992 science fiction novel, Snow Crash, geeks, dorks, and nerds have all been referencing the Metaverse as a dreamy virtual domain that is free of physical constraints and societal status, filled with boundless possibilities limited only by our imagination and creativity. While the word itself may have lost its original impact throughout the years, becoming trite for many, sounding reminiscent of corny ‘90s catchphrases like “cyberspace”, it is in fact the reason many, like myself, were attracted to the industry in the first place. Indeed, in its absence, the meaning, significance, and role of this emerging tech dries up considerably. Here’s how Sean White, SVP of Emerging Technologies at Mozilla, describes the Metaverse: “It’s part of the natural evolution, an extension, of how we connect with computation, with each other, and with the world around us. The last several years have seen a proliferation of interaction paradigms that are moving out of pure research and are unified through the Metaverse, and as this happens, we want positive actors in the space — ones that put people first. This has the potential to truly empower learning, creative expression, critical thinking, and connection across the globe.”