The concept of the metaverse has been around for decades, but it wasn’t until recently that it started gaining mainstream attention. With the rise of virtual reality technology, the idea of a fully immersive digital world where people can interact and engage with each other has become more plausible than ever before. But who actually came up with the idea of the metaverse?
Defining the Metaverse
Before delving into the history of the metaverse, it’s important to first define what it is. Simply put, the metaverse is a collective virtual shared space that is created by the convergence of multiple virtual spaces. It is a fully immersive digital environment that allows people to interact in real-time, much like they would in real life.
The metaverse is not just limited to video games or virtual reality experiences, although those are two common ways that people interact with it. It can also encompass social media platforms, online forums, and even e-commerce sites. Any digital space where people can come together and interact with each other in real-time can be considered part of the metaverse.
Origins of the Metaverse
The term “metaverse” was coined by science fiction author Neal Stephenson in his 1992 novel Snow Crash. In the book, the metaverse is a fully immersive virtual reality environment that serves as an escape from the bleakness of the real world. The novel describes a future society where people spend most of their time in the metaverse, engaging in all kinds of activities such as gaming, shopping, and socializing.
Stephenson’s vision of the metaverse proved to be incredibly influential, inspiring countless other writers, filmmakers, and game developers to explore the concept further. However, it’s worth noting that Stephenson didn’t actually invent the idea of a shared virtual space. Similar concepts had already been explored in works such as William Gibson’s Neuromancer (1984) and John Brunner’s Shockwave Rider (1975).
In fact, the idea of a shared virtual space dates back even further than that. In 1970, computer scientist Ivan Sutherland wrote a paper called “The Ultimate Display,” in which he described a world where people could interact with each other through a shared computer-generated environment. Although this concept was still in its infancy at the time, it laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the metaverse.
Early Metaverse Experiments
Throughout the 1990s, various attempts were made to create virtual worlds that could be accessed by multiple users simultaneously. One notable example is Habitat, a virtual world created by LucasArts and Quantum Computer Services (which later became AOL) in 1986. Habitat allowed users to create their own avatars and interact with each other in a shared digital space. Although it was limited by the technology of the time, Habitat was an early precursor to modern virtual worlds like Second Life.
Another early example of a shared virtual space was WorldsAway, a graphical chat room launched in 1995. WorldsAway allowed users to create their own avatars and explore a variety of themed virtual spaces, from beaches to nightclubs. It was one of the first virtual worlds to gain widespread popularity, with thousands of users logging on every day to socialize and play games.
Modern Metaverse Development
In recent years, the concept of the metaverse has taken on a new significance thanks to advances in virtual reality technology. With devices like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, users can now immerse themselves fully in virtual environments, interacting with other users in real-time. Games like VRChat and Rec Room have taken this concept even further, creating fully-realized virtual worlds that allow users to do everything from playing games to attending concerts.
However, the metaverse is not just limited to video games or virtual reality experiences. It can also encompass social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. In fact, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been vocal about his company’s intentions to build a metaverse-like experience, where users can interact with each other in fully-realized virtual spaces.
Conclusion
While the origins of the metaverse can be traced back to science fiction writers like Neal Stephenson, the idea of a shared virtual space has been around for much longer. Computer scientists and game developers have been exploring this concept for decades, with early experiments like Habitat and WorldsAway paving the way for modern virtual worlds like Second Life and VRChat.
As virtual reality technology continues to advance, it’s likely that we’ll see even more ambitious attempts to create fully-realized digital environments. Whether or not these efforts will truly capture the vision of a metaverse as described by Stephenson and others remains to be seen. However, what is certain is that the concept of the metaverse will continue to inspire and captivate us for years to come.
Related topics:
