The idea of a metaverse, an online world that would be unlimited and unrestricted in size has been gaining momentum. Technology companies are investing heavily into this new technology because they see its potential to become something huge – with many possibilities for making money off it as well.
Microsoft
The Microsoft Corporation is taking a major step into the metaverse by acquiring Activision Blizzard (video game developer and publisher) about what it announced in January 2022. This acquisition will allow them to develop their own games within this virtual world, which could expand exponentially with growth across all platforms including mobile phones and consoles as well cloud computing services such an Office 365 or Xbox Live.
Under the terms of this $70 billion deal, Microsoft will be able to develop their own games and software within metaverse in coming years.
Meta (Formerly Facebook)
The company Facebook has announced that they will be changing their name to Meta in an effort toward introducing what some are calling the “Metaverse.” This decision definitely got people talking, with many speculating on how this new moniker might affect future business practices and success.
Meta, the company that wants to create a metaverse in which VR and AR are seamlessly integrated with one another has invested $10 billion into acquiring hardware for their project. Meta also plans on investing heavily into developing software designed specifically around these technologies so they can provide immersive experiences from all over Earth.
Though it’s true that many investors are critical of Meta, there have been some who believe in its potential. If this company can continue developing new virtual worlds for years to come then we could be looking at an exciting future ahead.
Google’s interest in the metaverse is not surprising given its competitors’ investments. Though they suffered public humiliation with their failed AR glasses, this doesn’t seem to have deterred them from investing further into a new technology space-the industry of augmented reality and virtual realities for either business purposes or fun via games like Pokémon Go.
Google’s new investments are likely an effort to get ahead in the metaverse. CEO Sundar Pichai has discussed Google’s interest multiple times and may even make services like Maps or YouTube into virtual landscapes.
On top of this, Google has committed $39.5 million in funding for metaverse projects, which it hopes will lead to a virtual and augmented future.
Nvidia
It’s no wonder that one of the world’s leading GPU developers, Nvidia is investing in metaverse. With their key role within consoles and laptops as well contributing to cryptocurrency mining – not just for gamers but also many other uses – it makes sense why they are doing so alongside competitors like AMD who has been invested heavily into VR technology too.
This means that in the future you could have a personalized avatar representing yourself within society. The development comes from Nvidia, who are working hard to shape up metaverse technology for all users.
Unity Software
The acquisition of Weta Digital by Unity Software, for over $1.6 billion, is the biggest ever for a company in VFX development. It’s been questioned why this deal involved an apparent lack when it comes to financials, but there seems some truth behind their focus on immersive media and how they see our future world as being more interactive than not just web-based.
Unity Software has been steadily improving their real-time 3D technology that can be enjoyed in the metaverse. With access to all of Weta’s tools and an army of engineers, they should gain a solid footing for developing this new platform with RT3DS.
Unity may be a great fit for the metaverse. They already have experience with real-time 3D visuals and could easily produce AR/VR elements of this new reality.
It’s worth noting that Unity is not only an industry leader when it comes to developing games, but also offers tools which would make creating your own virtual worlds easier than ever before.
Shopify
The future of shopping isn’t just online, it’s in AR. Shopify has its eyes on this exciting new trend and wants to make sure they’re ahead when consumers start trying items out before buying them. With 1 million businesses already using their platform for e-commerce purposes today, there seems no reason why these companies shouldn’t be looking into how else people can spend money locally or through apps.
There are rumors involving Meta’s goal to compete with Shopify as an e-commerce platform. So Meta’s recent enthusiasm may mean we’ll see more virtual shopping on the metaverse too.
Roblox
Roblox has been making moves as of late, and it’s clear that they have plans for the future. The company is not just about gaming anymore – their metaverse presence will be invaluable in developing an immersive virtual world where players can interact with others online.
In an industry where players often feel disconnected from their avatars, it is refreshing to know that there are those who take pride in creating virtual worlds for us all share. The company aims on changing the social landscape of metaverses with its developing tools and platforms which will allow people use these new avenues as a way communicate more efficiently than ever before.
There are those who fear that a Wild West type metaverse might become reality, but the company hopes to build upon its current player base with better safety features.
Qualcomm
The investment by Qualcomm in XR, or extended reality is linked to its vision for the metaverse. Not only has it opened an labs across Europe but also collaborated with Microsoft and others who are eager about this new technology that will soon become mainstream among both consumers as well enterprise companies.
It appears that both Microsoft and Qualcomm believe in the future of XR. They have revealed plans for an exciting metaverse ahead with their collaboration on this new cutting edge technology while also focusing attention onto its potential benefits across many industries including sports medicine where patients can receive relief from pain through digital recreations equipped only available via relentless innovation just like real life.
The metaverse is a concept that has been talked about for years, but it’s only recently undergone major changes to make its way into our world. The potential for this technology is thrilling – it’s only matter of time before we see more progress made in the field.