The mataverse as envisioned in sci-fi literature like Neal Stephenson “Snow Crash” and Ernest Cline “Ready Player One” is still decades away, but we undoubtedly get there.
Currently the bandwidth of internet is probably most limiting factor for creating a pervasive and high quality metaverse. We currently rely on streaming large amounts of 3D data over this limited bandwidth to local devices to get rendered on them, that needs to change. The technology to do it differently is getting developed but is not there jet. Some tests getting done with powerful remote servers and low latency wireless 5G technology, but for VR latency must be incredibly low. Some say this can never be done, others say its matter of time to work out the kinks.
Anyways, there is also whole host of other problems that need to be solved jet.
For example the 3D data making up the metaverse needs to be standardized, so that your avatars and goods acquired can exist in the different metaverse worlds. Getting 1000ends or more people (avatars) in the same space is also a big problem. It was done in Fort Knight at some point but only with use of 10.000 different instances of the game somewhat synchronized and each having 40 people or something in that rage.
The big question for 3D artist are of course, where are the opportunity's to make money?
Currently my answer would be, not that much more then 10 years ago, but its slowly picking up phase.
Meta Horizon looks to me like a box for children to play in, it’s nice but the hardware it targets is very low spec (mainly Meta Quest). So you get some blocks, columns and squares to play with. As far as I know there is no way to make money in it (currently) via some in app content store or whatever.
The thing is, almost all recently developed 3D online games/platforms use association with name metaverse but it is not the metavese. The name metaverse points to a new form of internet (whole set of new technology connected in different way), currently internet is just the same so no metavese jet.
So lets just talk about current stand alone online 3D worlds/games (that's all there is for now), that have some opportunity in it to make money.
Second life is still there, personally never interested in it because of its low fidelity content.
Roblox is relatively new and floats on current hype around NFT’s, there are multiple way’s to make money with it but personally find it not interesting from perspective of visual fidelity and tools offered to edit content (personally believe its dead end).
Sandbox, somewhat same thing, different opportunity’s to make money but have to use its proprietary editor and lua scripting, low fidelity content, etc. will probably find some crowd that stay loyal to it but I don't believe it will be the big revolution.
Decentraland, basically same, own editor/scripting, low fidelity, etc.
To me they all just look like short term projects going nowhere, mainly to drive money to some pockets but not yours, but feel free to think otherwise.
I’m waiting to see what Tim Sweeny is cooking.
Personally have some criteria that needs to be met before I get interested.
1 Need to be able to store content in one place
2 Possibility to provide this content in more then one place (reach bigger user bases)
3 Need to be able to use my beloved tools to create content (Unreal engine, Blender, Houdini)
4 The connected worlds need to allow for higher fidelity content
5 Transactions need to be universally regulated via some system of smart contracts and blockchain
6 Preferably the worlds are VR compatible
7 Avoid current NFT nonsense rendering owning virtual land only for ……