Video games may level up metaverse adoption

The Future. The creation of the “metaverse” (an interconnected, digital world where people can play, shop, and create) is the Silicon Valley buzzword of the moment. But it may be video game companies the make the dream a reality. With gaming set to become the biggest form of entertainment on the planet, it may have all the right momentum to make one of its own.

Play the world
Open world gaming is about to get a much more expansive definition.

• According to Michael Wolf, the founder, and CEO of consulting firm Activate Inc., video games will help the metaverse go mainstream.
• Platforms like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox have already introduced players to large virtual worlds that focus on individual expression and communal creation.
• They provide gaming, e-commerce, world-building, customizable avatars, and virtual community — all elements of an interconnected digital metaverse.
• But it may be next-gen games like Axie Infinity and Star Atlas, which combine storytelling, commerce, and blockchain tech that could drive the metaverse conversation forward.

Game time
With the video game market expected to hit $221 billion by 2025, the metaverse may already have a huge built-in user base. All companies have to do is introduce gamers to an expanded set of capabilities within the game they’re already playing instead of convincing them to join an entirely new platform (take note, Facebook).

So, where does this leave traditional console-based brands like Microsoft (Xbox) and Sony (PlayStation)? Both companies have made a concerted effort to switch to cloud-based gaming with subscription offerings. With the requisite brand loyalty and the tech infrastructure to make big moves, maybe each will develop their own version of the metaverse to cross from game to game.