On January 18th, the technology company Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard, the game studio, at an estimated value of 70 billion dollars (about 380 billion reais). According to the company, the investment was needed to develop metaverse. Close to three months before this, on October 28th, Facebook had its name changed to Meta, which sent a clear signal about its new focus on virtual reality.

This move caught the attention of investors who began to buy land in metaverse expecting to sell it at a higher price in the future. Some spaces were purchased for as much as 13 million reais.

But what is metaverse anyway?

The idea behind the technology is to replace the Internet, which as we know it today, is based on texts and videos, with a three-dimensional version. To access the new version, we would use virtual reality glasses that would create the feeling of being part of that universe. Each user would have their own home within the metaverse.

In collective spaces with other users, it would be possible to take part in cultural activities, games, and even work. Meta, the company, has already developed a virtual meeting room with special features, such as the possibility of presenting graphs and spreadsheets.

The term metaverse was coined by Neal Stephenson, the author of the science fiction book Snow Crash, which was published in 1992, long before the technology was created. In the story, Hiro, the protagonist, is a pizza delivery man in the real world and a samurai prince in the digital world.

The metaverse already exists in limited versions, but it is not yet as popular as it is expected to become in the next few years.

The price of real-world real estate and land is determined, in part, by real estate speculation. It occurs when someone buys a place not to live in, but rather because they believe they can sell it at a higher price and make money off it. This happens when a buyer believes that a certain neighborhood will develop and become more attractive, for example.

Something similar is occurring in the metaverse. Even though it is a digital universe, space is limited and, therefore, many are paying a high price to buy land with the idea of ​​profiting in the future. Buyers’ expectations cause sellers to ask for even higher amounts.

Sources: Exame, G1, NBC, New York Times, Techtudo, and Tecmundo

Questions
1) When did Facebook’s company change its name to Meta?
a) On October 18th
b) On October 28th
c) On January 18th
d) On January 28th

2) What do you think of metaverse?

Ixi! Você bateu no paywall!

Ainda não é assinante? Assine agora e tenha acesso ilimitado ao conteúdo do Joca.

Assinante? Faça Login

Voltar para a home

Ou faça sua assinatura e tenha acesso a todo o conteúdo do Joca

Assine