Gaming in the Metaverse: The Future of Gaming?

Is the metaverse the future of gaming?

The metaverse is here (kinda), and while we don’t fully know what it is and what it involves, it feels pretty clear that it will have a massive impact on our daily lives – especially when it comes to gaming! Whether it’s attending live music events virtually, meeting up with friends to digitally shop for new clothes, or playing some live casino games in the metaverse, we’re absolutely sure that it will have a colossal impact on entertainment.

What actually is the metaverse?

While this question should be relatively straightforward to address, the real answer is far from simple, thanks to the fact that we haven’t actually seen the final version of the metaverse. That question is one that even the prominent decision-makers at many of the big funders are struggling to answer because they haven’t clearly defined what the final iteration of the metaverse will look like. All they can say is that it’ll be massive and part of our lives.

We’ve heard it be referred to as the future of the internet by the likes of Mark Zuckerberg (Meta/Facebook) and Satya Nadella (Microsoft), but that’s a super broad term, perhaps deliberately so. It’s super hard to clearly define, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing because all great inventions have cloudy definitions. If you had asked somebody in the early 1900s what the internet was and what it would become, do you think they would have been able to answer?

How will cloud gaming fit into the metaverse?

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Cloud gaming looks to be a central part of the metaverse’s gaming branch because it will allow players to game and socialise no matter where they are and with whoever they want. It will mean that gamers can play whatever video games they want without ever having to physically buy or download a game to their device, instead of being able to stream directly to their favourite console. It is an added convenience that will change the gaming world.

A new development has been that gamers are now able to play a limited number of purchased games on compatible computer devices instead of having to play on their console. This means that gaming on the go is now easier than ever – as long as you have a stable internet connection. It should also help to blur the lines between gaming and the social aspect, potentially meaning that you can take your gaming party beyond the lobby.

How is Microsoft involved in the metaverse?

As we touched upon earlier, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella is a big fan of the metaverse and sees it as the next stage of the internet’s evolution, despite the internet itself being relatively new. They haven’t waited around either and have been looking to expand their gaming portfolio by making several acquisitions that should help them be ready when the metaverse revolution really begins. Buying Blizzard for $68 billion was a huge sign of intent.

In recent months Satya Nadella has been doing the rounds and speaking to some high profile publications, telling journalists that gaming will be absolutely key to the metaverse’s success. Interestingly, he claimed that Microsoft’s involvement would be centred around their ability to build an infrastructure that can be adapted and manipulated to accommodate a variety of different events. In short, the possibilities are endless!

What does 2022 hold for the metaverse?

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2022 is the year of the metaverse, that much we can say for absolute certain. We got a little taste of what is to come back in 2021, but that was little more than an appetiser when it comes to the wealth of opportunities that can be brought along thanks to the latest developments. These innovations are coming thick and fast and will no doubt piggyback on the success we’ve seen in the recently revived augmented and virtual reality spaces.

The metaverse has been able to garner the attention of all the right people, with it almost causing a gold rush of sorts, with all of the key players in the entertainment and technology industry looking for their slice of the pie – a super expensive pie at that! Meta, or Facebook, have been throwing billions at their Reality Labs division in the hope that it is able to help them gain an edge over their competitors and become a leading figure in the metaverse.

Let’s be honest, though, right now, we have little to no idea what 2022 will bring to the metaverse space, though all the signs are overwhelmingly positive and worthy of following. As touched upon before, Meta and Microsoft have emerged as the leading players in the metaverse space, but Sony also has a horse in the race and will without a doubt be making plans to enter the space and ensure that they aren’t left behind in the race for gold.