There have been conflicting views about the metaverse. Some claim the metaverse is here, and others argue that the metaverse is a concept yet to be actualized.
Is the metaverse virtual reality? Does it even exist? The metaverse is a shared and persistent immersive experience created by the convergence of virtual reality and augmented reality.
If you’re new to the metaverse space, we’ve put together a guide to walk you through the basics of the metaverse.
The scope of the metaverse goes well beyond virtual reality; virtual reality is one of the core technologies that would define the metaverse.
It implies that the metaverse doesn’t fully exist however, virtual reality and augmented reality are pieces of the metaverse puzzle.
That said, how do we access or enter the metaverse? We can enter the metaverse or get a feel of what the metaverse would look like through present virtual reality platforms.
Virtual reality platforms like sandbox, decentraland, and axie infinity, give us a feel of what the metaverse might take after.
In this article, we’ve got you covered on ways to enter the metaverse.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Types of Equipment Needed to Access the Metaverse
There are three basic types of equipment everyone requires to enter the metaverse, the first two are necessary, and the third is optional.
These basic types of equipment are needed to access the metaverse:
- High-End Computer PC with a stable internet connection
- Cryptocurrency Wallet (Metamask).
- Virtual Reality Headset (Oculus Quest 2).
High-End Computer PC with a Stable Internet Connection
Not all computer systems are created equal, and most definitely, not all computer pcs are built to support VR functionality. – Metarficial
The quality of your metaverse experience is heavily dependent on the hardware specification of your computer system, which makes it a sweet spot for gamers.
A high-end computer pc built to support virtual reality is a necessary evil to access the metaverse.
Using a low-end computer system may create friction, cause lags, and reduce the responsiveness of your controls when navigating virtual reality with your avatar.
Since most video games require lots of processing power, gaming pcs are built with moderate hardware specifications to support virtual reality functionalities.
There are minimum hardware requirements to look out for when choosing a metaverse compatible gaming pc.
For a detailed breakdown on the hardware requirements for choosing a metaverse compatible gaming computer pc, check out a guide on Digitaltrends.
Bonus: Get exclusive roundups we share with only our subscribers as we help you navigate through the Metaverse and virtual reality space.
Cryptocurrency Wallet – Metamask
If avatars are your digital twin, then cryptocurrency wallets help keep track of unique identities on the blockchain.
Crypto wallets don’t only hold information about cryptocurrencies each user owns, they store collectibles and assets like NFTs in the metaverse.
Creating an account on any metaverse virtual reality platform requires a cryptocurrency wallet.
Metamask wallet is the most popular option, preferred over other crypto wallets due to ease in connecting personal ethereum wallets to metaverse VR platforms built on the ethereum blockchain.
Proponents argue that metamask gives more utility and innovation over other wallets and gives users more control over their public and private keys.
Cryptocurrency wallets also make it easy to store and swap tokens or coins earned from play-to-earn games on metaverse virtual reality platforms.
Virtual Reality Headsets (Oculus Quest 2)
Virtual reality headsets, controllers, and related VR devices have been a real game-changer for the VR and gaming industry, no pun intended.
These devices go way back to the 1960s. But the versions we have today are much better and more efficient than they used to be.
In his keynote speech, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta (Facebook), says the metaverse would provide an immersive experience no different from actual reality.
The closest we’ve gotten to creating this experience is immersing users in 3D virtual reality platforms with VR headsets.
However, not all metaverse virtual reality platforms support VR headsets functionalities. In other words, VR headsets are optional to access metaverse platforms with a VR headset.
As more attention turns towards developing immersive metaverse virtual reality platforms, VR headsets functions would get built-in alongside.
As a rule of thumb, you should have enough slack to move around when using a VR headset to reduce the likelihood of motion sickness due to prolonged usage.
Does this mean we wouldn’t be able to access the metaverse with virtual reality headsets? Well, there’s a way around it.
How to Access the Metaverse on an Oculus Quest 2 Headset
Popular metaverse virtual reality platforms like sandbox, decentraland, and axie infinity aren’t available on the oculus quest store.
The oculus quest 2 headset comes with pre-installed games and applications for users to navigate virtual reality.
You would need a USB-C oculus link cable or a virtual desktop to enjoy the metaverse experience on your oculus quest 2 headsets.
These devices allow you to access your computer pc remotely. For a step-by-step guide on how to access the metaverse through your oculus quest 2 headset, here’s an explainer video from VR Scout below.
What Metaverse Virtual Reality Platform Should You Explore?
There are over 50 metaverse virtual reality platforms built. They enable you to create experiences, develop games, and play-to-earn tokens or cryptocurrencies.
Decentraland and Sandbox allow you to own part of the metaverse by buying lands and virtual real estate within their ecosystem.
These lands are unique NFTs stored on the blockchain that can be accessed, developed, or sold on in-game marketplaces.
Multi-player online virtual reality gaming platform, Roblox, allows you to hone your coding and game development skills by building games and experiences on their platform.
Axie infinity lets you purchase NFT game monsters and battle against other axies to earn tokens and rewards.
Virtual music concerts have been held on decentraland and Fortnite, where artists perform for virtual audiences who join in with their avatars.
There are different metaverse virtual reality platforms, each having its distinct properties and characteristics for users.
Unfortunately, this poses a problem of interoperability among platforms as users may not be able to transfer their assets from one metaverse virtual reality platform to the other.
We’re still in the early stages of building out the metaverse, and there are a lot of features and experiences yet to unfold on these metaverse virtual reality platforms.
Bonus: Get exclusive roundups we share with only our subscribers as we help you navigate through the Metaverse and virtual reality space.
Conclusion:
There is no one-stop application for entering the metaverse.
However, there are metaverse virtual reality platforms that give us a feel of what a fully realized metaverse would take after.
Navigating virtual reality using these platforms would require a high-end computer pc with fast internet speed that supports VR functionality.
For storing digital assets and cryptocurrencies while navigating the virtual reality space, Metamask is your go-to option for a crypto wallet.
It’s also important to note that navigating these metaverse virtual reality platforms would require you to create an avatar.
While some of these platforms allow the personalization of avatars, others require in-platform purchases for more customization options using cryptocurrencies.
Some metaverse virtual reality platform also rewards players for game-play, make it convenient to sell collectibles, custom-made assets, and charge a premium for their creations. Roblox and axie infinity are great examples.
If you’d prefer to access these metaverse virtual reality platforms using a VR headset, the oculus link, or a virtual desktop on the quest 2 headset would do the trick.
Learn more about the different metaverse virtual reality platforms and explore the options that best suit you.
