Ready (or Not) Player One: Initial Musings on the Metaverse
2021; Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.; Volume: 25; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1089/cyber.2021.29234.editorial
ISSN2152-2723
Autores Tópico(s)Digital Mental Health Interventions
ResumoCyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social NetworkingVol. 25, No. 1 EditorialFree AccessReady (or Not) Player One: Initial Musings on the MetaverseBrenda K. WiederholdBrenda K. WiederholdBrenda K. Wiederhold, Editor-in-ChiefSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:12 Jan 2022https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2021.29234.editorialAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail For the "digital natives" of Gen Z, virtual reality (VR) does not seem at all like science fiction. Rather, it is almost commonplace. What may amaze Zoomers, however, is that VR isn't new. It has been around for decades. In fact, most of Gen Z was not yet born when we published our first issue of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking (then called Cyberpsychology and Behavior) featuring VR and Internet addiction research in the spring of 1998.The journal is now celebrating its 25th anniversary, thanks to the vision of a few brave souls and a pioneering publishing company, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The journal's CyberTherapy, Cyberpsychology and Social Networking Conference (CYPSY25) has also turned 25 and, to accommodate travel restrictions due to the pandemic, was able to pivot successfully to being a completely virtual experience, enabling participants from 22 countries to share 3 days of cutting-edge research. We have spent years adapting and adopting new technologies to keep the journal and the conference at the forefront of technology and behavioral health exploration.Online communities such as the ones we explored in the first issue of the journal have been around since the 1980s, booming in the 1990s with chatrooms, AOL instant messenger, and early social media sites.1 In the late 1990s, there was a "primitive" (by today's standards) shared virtual world called Online Traveler, which consisted of avatar heads floating in space. They could emote—happy, sad, surprised, angry. The avatars on that platform were rudimentary, but they worked. People formed communities within that virtual world, and many of us were able to use the tool to treat social phobia successfully by teaching social skills and providing a safe place in which to practice those skills. One aspect that was unique was the use of microphones and a headset using VOIP, no typing required, which was much more effective and ahead of its time.2By the early 2000s, precursors to what is now being called the metaverse began to gain popularity. Online worlds such as Second Life (launched in 2003) and the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft (2004) became a lively social outlet for millions, and similar communities have continued to develop in the years since. Today, online games such as Fortnite and Roblox are continuing that trend. Especially among younger populations, joining a chat with friends over a console and launching into a game with them is just as social an experience as any in-person interaction—which introduces the question: Is the metaverse the inescapable way of the future?To answer this question, we first need to define the term "metaverse." According to the Wall Street Journal, the metaverse is "a virtual world where our digital avatars and those of people in our communities and around the globe come together to work, shop, attend classes, pursue hobbies, enjoy social gatherings and more."3 Metaverse advocates expect that it will significantly impact our daily lives, much like the introduction of the Internet or the iPhone. While certain elements of the metaverse already exist, current online worlds are expected to advance rapidly, expanding not only to mirror the real world, but also allowing us to be and do anything that we wish online.While we currently access the Internet using our smartphones and computers—devices that allow only limited immersion—tech leaders believe that we will soon be using specialized glasses similar to the VR headsets that are currently available, but which are less bulky and more comfortable. There will also likely be a wider selection of haptic devices that allow users to actually "feel" virtual objects, and equipment such as omnidirectional treadmills that simulate running and similar physical activities to mirror the virtual world.3Right now, there are several obstacles standing in the way of this fully immersive vision, and even metaverse supporters are not expecting it to be fully realized any time soon. For the metaverse to truly replicate the real world, there will need to be significant upgrades to existing computer systems and technology. Though some of the necessary technologies have been around for years, other elements (such as fast wireless links, cloud computing, 5G, and artificial intelligence [AI]) have only recently come into their own. And even if sufficient tech now exists, these new advanced technologies will need to become more affordable and widely accessible in order for the metaverse to achieve its potential. Beyond technical concerns, there are also significant worries about privacy and security that must be addressed.Despite these stumbling blocks, early iterations of the metaverse are already here—and they are growing quite popular. The augmented reality (AR) and VR global equipment market is expected to increase by >50% this year, reaching a total of 9 million units shipped. In a few short years, by 2025, shipments could skyrocket to 28.7 million units.4Many, especially those young digital natives mentioned above, have already accepted the idea that a large part of their future will exist in the metaverse, and tech companies are taking notice. Mark Zuckerberg, who recently announced his company's name change from Facebook to Meta, is planning to spend $10 billion this year on Facebook Reality Labs, which works on AR and VR to make "online worlds where people exist in immersive, virtual and shared spaces."5 And over the next 5 years, he will hire 10,000 individuals in the EU to build the metaverse.6Prompted by the pandemic, videogame companies Roblox and Epic Games, which produces "Fortnite," have begun to host immersive experiences such as virtual concerts for their users. Microsoft has also entered the fray with plans to release software and hardware tools related to the metaverse in the coming months. They have developed a platform, called Mesh, on which other firms can develop applications, and HoloLens, a mixed-reality headset, with which users can explore online worlds together. In addition, graphics chip company Nvidia is launching software called Omniverse Enterprise, a platform for shared virtual spaces that allows groups of users to combine elements they have built elsewhere into a virtual entity that they can then work on as a team.4Yet, increasing the efficiency and availability of hardware and making realistic-looking immersive environments will not be enough to draw in users. Researchers have long argued that presence (the user's sense of "being there") is the key to successful treatment or training. Though studies have shown that high levels of presence can be achieved with less realistic environments, they must nonetheless be believable and contain proper cues and content. The metaverse promises even more.To establish presence successfully, a key factor in how compelling an experience is. Avatars will need to be able to mimic the cognitive abilities of a human. One company working toward this goal is Inworld AI.7 By combining a range of AI technologies such as natural language processing, optical character recognition, reinforcement learning, and conversational AI, the company's goal is to offer a platform that can be used to develop characters that react naturally and realistically not only in their speech but also with their facial expressions and body language. Sophisticated virtual characters such as these will enhance the experience for users, creating a desire to continue to engage with a virtual world. This level of immersion may be the key to the ultimate success of the metaverse. (The continued development of avatars is a universe unto itself).Although the behavioral health community has begun to embrace digital alternatives to in-person treatments, such as apps and VR, overall, we have not historically been early adopters. With the metaverse, we have the opportunity to change that. Concerns such as security breaches and technology failure are valid. However, as we have found with previous leaps in technology, the benefits frequently outweigh the drawbacks. For example, we often speak of broader accessibility to treatment and the importance of home care. Now that patients' homes are in the metaverse, the opportunities for outreach and more effective treatment are limitless.As we move toward the ultimate collaborative online world, behavioral healthcare providers and researchers have an essential role in helping to shape the metaverse, both by guiding its formation and by conducting unbiased research on its effects.To do this, we must continue to educate ourselves and work to understand this rapidly developing technology. Though it may at times be uncomfortable, it is important to keep an open mind and have constructive debate and discourse with those whose opinions differ from our own.Because in the end, whether you think the metaverse is inspiring or the end of civilization as we know it, it is inevitably on its way.References1. Clark PA. (2021) The metaverse has already arrived. Here's what that actually means. https://time.com/6116826/what-is-the-metaverse/ (accessed Dec. 1, 2021). Google Scholar2. Avatars 2000. https://www.ccon.org/conf00/html/traveler.html (accessed Dec. 1, 2021). Google Scholar3. Needleman SE. (2021) The amazing things you'll do in the "metaverse" and what it will take to get there. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-amazing-things-youll-do-in-the-metaverse-and-what-it-will-take-to-get-there-11634396401?mod=article_inline (accessed Dec. 1, 2021). Google Scholar4. Bobrowski M. (2021) Big tech seeks its next fortune in the metaverse. https://www.wsj.com/articles/big-tech-seeks-its-next-fortune-in-the-metaverse-11636459200 (accessed Dec. 1, 2021). Google Scholar5. Bobrowski M. (2021) Mark Zuckerberg sets Facebook on long, costly path to metaverse reality. https://www.wsj.com/articles/mark-zuckerberg-sets-facebook-on-long-costly-path-to-metaverse-reality-11635252726?mod=article_inline (accessed Dec. 1, 2021). Google Scholar6. The Economist. (2021) What is the metaverse? https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/05/11/what-is-the-metaverse (accessed Dec. 1, 2021). Google Scholar7. Keary T. (2021) Inworld AI joins metaverse innovation with AI-driven virtual characters. https://venturebeat.com/2021/11/09/inworld-ai-joins-metaverse-innovation-with-ai-driven-virtual-characters/ (accessed Dec. 1, 2021). 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