The Seven Layers of the Metaverse

Since Zuckerberg's declaration that Facebook would venture into the metaverse, companies and venture firms have scrambled to get a foothold in the burgeoning market. However, understanding the metaverse's underlying architecture is vital since the concept is gaining traction as a lucrative investment opportunity.

Entrepreneur, game developer, and author Jon Radoff focuses on metaverse-related topics and believes there are seven layers that characterize the metaverse's market value chain.

Following a brief introduction to the metaverse, this post will illustrate its various layers and how they interconnect.

So, what is the metaverse?

Although the term has been used more frequently in recent years, author Neal Stephenson first used the word "metaverse" in his 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash. The term "metaverse" refers to a fictionalized, artificial environment linked to the real world. It's a portmanteau of the prefix "meta," meaning "beyond," and the word "universe."

The concept centers on the idea that the internet is a vast, unified, and communal realm. And with the advent of cutting-edge technology like AR, VR, and AI, the digital equivalent of the "Renaissance" is on the horizon, making the metaverse seem all the more imminent.

Now that we've grasped the general idea, let's delve into the seven layers that make up the metaverse.

Experience

Contrary to popular belief, the metaverse is not just a 3D representation of the physical world. Instead, it will be a realistic depiction of space and distance, incorporating lifelike graphics that allow for the virtual digitization of physical objects.

Discovery

This layer refers to how users will discover new experiences or platforms, such as app stores, search engines, rating websites, and display advertising. The discovery layer is an essential first step in finding new tools, networks, and user bases in the metaverse.

Creator Economy

In Web1 and the early days of Web2, developers needed programming skills to design and develop their own apps and assets. With Web3 and emerging ecosystems and gateways like Decentraland and Sandbox, drag-and-drop applications are becoming increasingly popular, allowing people to build practically anything without needing to know how to code.

Spatial Computing

By fusing VR with AR, spatial computing enables the creation of fully immersive, 3D, and hyper-realistic environments that stimulate the user's sight, hearing, and touch.

Decentralization

The buzzword of the decade! Keeping everything as decentralized as possible is a shared principle of Web3. This renders centralized control impossible, and instead, the power to make choices lies with a sizable community of end users.

Human Interface

Hardware designed specifically for the metaverse will be essential for immersing users in these alternate realities. It primarily consists of VR headsets, smart glasses, and haptic technologies that allow users to navigate digital environments. It'll feel like the real thing!

Infrastructure

The seventh layer consists of technologies that realize previously mentioned layers. This includes, among other things, spatial algorithms, edge computing, GPU servers, real-time network transmission, and Ai.