The Metaverse: What Is It and How Can I Get Into It?

Metaverse is the virtual world that aims to emulate real-world experiences in a virtual environment.

"Oasis" from Ready Player One is the prime example of what today's metaverses aim to be. A world where people can forget about their physical lives. And spend days upon days in a "better" world.

Metaverse isn't a single entity but a combination—an amalgam of different concepts that will one day be interoperable, like today's internet.

And one more thing, we're using the internet to access the metaverse. But moving forward, we think metaverse has the potential to replace the old internet altogether. Web3 is the future, and metaverse will be the vehicle people use to traverse that future.

Currently, we see corporate examples of the metaverse, like that of Meta (formerly Facebook). Other examples like Decentraland and The Sandbox are more on the user-generated side.

These are obviously in their infancy and require some time before they can rival those in science fiction. In the meantime, if you want to know how to join the metaverse experience in its raw form, we've got you covered.

Good Internet Connection

Before purchasing any hardware to access the metaverse, you need a good internet connection. An immersive metaverse experience requires better connectivity than your usual internet provider offers.

Aim to get the best possible connection with good down/up speeds and low latency. Otherwise, your experience will be laggy and less immersive than you'd want it to be.

Decent Hardware

Now that you have a good internet connection, you need to think about which device to use. You need apt hardware to have the best experience in the metaverse.

Many people proclaim that a virtual headset is the best way to experience the metaverse. And we agree. To truly live in the metaverse, you need to have as many senses in the virtual world as possible.

But a virtual reality headset isn't a critical requirement to join the metaverse. A good PC can put you in the metaverse without any issues. Heck, we have mobile-friendly metaverses like XANA. You can access these on your mobile without any external hardware.

Obviously, the experience will vary from device to device. Still, you'll see what people are so excited about and judge the world for yourself.

Where are you going?

You have the hardware and the internet connection; all you need is a destination. As we'd mentioned, the metaverse isn't a single entity. There are several metaverses you can explore with the equipment at hand.

You have so many choices. Decentraland, The Sandbox, Roblox, XANA, and many more. So choose wisely.

Decentraland, once the flagship metaverse, is almost barren now. Sandbox and Roblox have widely different audiences. Roblox attracts gamers with a focus on younger audiences. While The Sandbox is oriented towards adults and is an expansive digital world. Then we have XANA, maybe the most comprehensive of the bunch.

It is growing, attracting brands, celebrities, and big brands. Rapidly getting populated, XANA is accessible from mobile, desktop, and VR headsets – whichever you prefer.

Considering XANA? You can find the complete guide on how to join the metaverse here.

Enhance Your Experience

If you want to explore the metaverse, it is completely free. Different metaverses aim to have a high number of visitors. That's why there's no monetary cap on the entrance.

However, to fully experience the metaverse as an alternate life, be prepared to spend some real-life cash. Like real-life, you can make purchases in the metaverse. You can buy NFTs and real estate, attend events, and do much more.

These experiences require digital currency. But to access your digital currency in the metaverse, you need to have a digital wallet. MetaMask is a famous digital wallet that many metaverses allow.

To ensure your digital transactions stay safe, never share your details with anyone. Follow this best practice because your digital currency holds real-world value. And there are people out there looking to scam you out of that.

What did we experience?

We've shared our tips on how to join the metaverse. Now it's time to give our opinion on the experience.

It's not as raw as we'd expected it to be. With the right headset, we felt like we were actually in the digital world. The sensors and the software are improving with each passing day and enhancing the experience as a whole.

Virtual Land on the metaverse is a good investment opportunity. And digital events do grab our curiosity.

Still, there's so much that needs to happen in order to fully transport us to a virtual world. We remain optimistic and hope for the best!