每个人都想拥有元宇宙，包括Facebook和微软。但它到底是什么呢?

每个人都想拥有元宇宙，包括Facebook和微软。但它到底是什么呢?

元宇宙最近成为了热门话题，Facebook和微软都宣称拥有所有权。但什么是元宇宙呢?什么时候能到?

作者尼尔·斯蒂芬森(Neal Stephenson)在1992年的科幻小说《雪灾》(Snow Crash)中创造了“元宇宙”(metaverse)一词，他在小说中想象了在逼真的3D建筑和其他虚拟现实环境中遇到的栩栩如生的化身。

从那时起，各种各样的发展在通往真正的元宇宙的道路上取得了里程碑式的进展。元宇宙是一个包含增强现实、虚拟现实、3D全息化身、视频和其他交流手段的在线虚拟世界。随着元宇宙的扩展，它将为你提供一个超真实的替代世界。

在《堡垒之夜》、《我的世界》和《Roblox》等在线游戏世界中，已经有了关于元宇宙的暗示。这些游戏背后的公司都有雄心成为元宇宙发展的一部分。

什么是元宇宙?

它结合了多种技术元素，包括虚拟现实、增强现实和视频，让用户“生活”在一个数字世界中。元宇宙的支持者设想它的用户通过音乐会、会议和周游世界的虚拟旅行与朋友们工作、玩耍和保持联系。

“现在，我们正站在下一个互联网的尖端，”风险投资公司Epyllion Industries的执行合伙人马修·鲍尔(Matthew Ball) 2021年2月在自己的网站上发表的一篇文章中说。

我们什么时候能看到它?

马克·扎克伯格是新命名的Meta(前身是Facebook)的首席执行官，他估计Meta的主要功能可能需要5到10年的时间才能成为主流。但元宇宙的某些方面目前是存在的。超高速的宽带速度、虚拟现实耳机和持久的在线世界已经启动并运行，尽管它们可能不是所有人都可以访问。

有什么例子吗?

让我们来看看今天发生了什么，可能会导致明天的元宇宙:

♦脸书

科技巨头Facebook已经在虚拟现实领域进行了大量投资，包括2014年收购Oculus。Meta设想了一个虚拟世界，在那里，数字化身通过工作、旅行或娱乐使用VR头戴式设备进行连接。扎克伯格一直看好元宇宙，认为它可以取代我们所知的互联网。Meta的首席执行官马克·扎克伯格在上个月公布了公司的品牌重塑后表示:“下一个平台和媒体将是更加身临其境的互联网，你将置身于体验之中，而不仅仅是看着它。我们称之为元宇宙。”

♦微软

这家软件巨头已经在使用全息图，并正在利用其微软Mesh平台开发混合和扩展现实(XR)应用程序，该平台将现实世界与增强现实和虚拟现实相结合。本月早些时候，微软展示了其在2022年将包括全息图和虚拟化身在内的混合现实技术引入微软团队的计划。明年还将为零售和工作场所开发可探索的3D虚拟连接空间。美国陆军目前正与微软合作开发一款增强现实Hololens 2头盔，用于士兵训练、排练和战斗。除此之外，Xbox Live还将全球数百万电子游戏玩家连接在一起。

♦史诗般的游戏

《堡垒之夜》开发商的首席执行官Tim Sweeney表示:“Epic投资创建元宇宙已经不是什么秘密了。”它举办过爱莉安娜·格兰德(Ariana Grande)和特拉维斯·斯科特(Travis Scott)等歌手的演唱会，还举办过电影预告片和音乐首演，甚至还“沉浸”地重现了小马丁·路德·金(Martin Luther King Jr.) 1963年的历史性演讲“我有一个梦想”。它正在用它的超人类创造者开发逼真的数字人类，这可能是你在未来的开放世界游戏中定制你的数字二重身的方法。

►虚拟世界中的真实装备:《堡垒之夜》与巴黎世家合作为你和你的化身设计服装

►从NFL到Air Jordan再到爱莉安娜·格兰德:《堡垒之夜》迄今为止最大的跨界活动

♦Roblox

该平台成立于2004年，提供大量用户生成游戏，包括《Bloxburg》和《Brookhaven》等角色扮演游戏，用户可以在这些游戏中建造房屋、工作和体验场景。今年上市后，Roblox的估值超过了450亿美元。在今年3月的IPO当天，Roblox创始人兼首席执行官David Baszucki发推特感谢所有帮助该平台“实现#Metaverse愿景的人。”从那时起，Roblox与滑板鞋公司Vans合作创建了Vans World，这是一个虚拟的滑板公园，玩家可以在这里穿上Vans的新装备，并开设了一个有限的Gucci花园，在那里你可以尝试为你的虚拟自己购买衣服和配饰。

我的世界微软旗下的《我的世界》(Minecraft)是另一个深受孩子们喜爱的虚拟世界，它本质上相当于乐高(lego)的数字版，玩家可以在其中创建自己的数字角色，并建造任何他们想要的东西。截至8月，《我的世界》拥有超过1.4亿的月活跃用户。在疫情期间，它在那些不得不更多地依赖虚拟连接的孩子中迅速流行起来。

一些不太知名的公司已经推出了自己的网络世界。创建于2003年的网络幻想世界“第二人生”(Second Life)作为另一种现实，已经进入了第二个十年。

无处有永久和临时的虚拟空间-公共或私人使用-举行音乐会，节日，聚会和会议。纽约制作公司风车工厂(The Windmill Factory)一年多前开始开发这个平台，已经为Lady Gaga和九寸钉(Nine Inch Nails)做过项目。

今年早些时候，sensenorium Galaxy推出了计划中的前两个星系，其中包括各种连接的在线“世界”，用户可以通过虚拟现实头盔或台式电脑来探索。“棱镜”是第一个开放的网站，它将在未来的场景中播放音乐，比如虚拟dj和乐队演奏

Everyone wants to own the metaverse including Facebook and Microsoft. But what exactly is it?

The metaverse has been a hot topic of conversation recently, with Facebook and Microsoft both staking claims. But what is the metaverse? And when will it get here?

Author Neal Stephenson is credited with coining the term “metaverse” in his 1992 science fiction novel “Snow Crash,” in which he envisioned lifelike avatars who met in realistic 3D buildings and other virtual reality environments.

Since then, various developments have made mileposts on the way toward a real metaverse, an online virtual world which incorporates augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D holographic avatars, video and other means of communication. As the metaverse expands, it will offer a hyper-real alternative world for you to coexist in.

Inklings of the metaverse already exist in online game universes such as Fortnite, Minecraft and Roblox. And the companies behind those games have ambitions to be part of the evolution of the metaverse.

What is the metaverse?
It’s a combination of multiple elements of technology, including virtual reality, augmented reality and video where users “live” within a digital universe. Supporters of the metaverse envision its users working, playing and staying connected with friends through everything from concerts and conferences to virtual trips around to the world.

“Right now, we are on the cusp of the next internet,” said Matthew Ball, managing partner of venture capital firm Epyllion Industries, in a February 2021 essay on his website.

When can we expect to see it?
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of the newly named Meta (formerly Facebook), estimates it could take five to 10 years before the key features of the metaverse become mainstream. But aspects of the metaverse currently exist. Ultra-fast broadband speeds, virtual reality headsets and persistent always-on online worlds are already up and running, even though they may not be accessible to all.

What are some examples of it?
Here’s a look at what’s happening today that could lead to the metaverse oftomorrow:

♦ Meta. The tech giant formerly known as Facebook has already made significant investments in virtual reality, including the 2014 acquisition of Oculus. Meta envisions a virtual world where digital avatars connect through work, travel or entertainment using VR headsets. Zuckerberg has been bullish on the metaverse, believing it could replace the internet as we know it. “The next platform and medium will be even more immersive and embodied internet where you’re in the experience, not just looking at it, and we call this the metaverse,” said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg last month after revealing the company’s rebranding.

♦ Microsoft. The software giant already uses holograms and is developing mixed and extended reality (XR) applications with its Microsoft Mesh platform, which combine the real world with augmented reality and virtual reality. Earlier this month, Microsoft showed off its plans for bringing mixed-reality including holograms and virtual avatars to Microsoft Teams in 2022. Also in the works for next year: explorable 3D virtual connected spaces for retail and workplaces. The U.S. Army is currently working with Microsoft on an augmented reality Hololens 2 headset for soldiers to train, rehearse and fight in. Beyond that, Xbox Live already connects millions of video game players across the globe, too.
♦ Epic Games. Tim Sweeney, CEO of the company that developed Fortnite, has said, “It’s no secret that Epic is invested in building the metaverse.” It’s held concerts by the likes of Ariana Grande and Travis Scott, movie trailers and music debuts and even an “immersive” re-imagining of Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 historic “I Have A Dream” speech. And it’s developing photorealistic digital humans with its MetaHuman Creator, which could be how you customize your digital doppelganger in future open-world games.

►Real gear in a virtual world:Fortnite partners with Balenciaga on outfits for you and your avatar

►From NFL to Air Jordan to Ariana Grande:The biggest Fortnite crossover events so far

♦ Roblox. The platform, founded in 2004, houses scores of user-generated games, including role-playing offerings like Bloxburg and Brookhaven, where users can build homes, work and play out scenarios. Roblox is now valued at more than $45 billion after going public this year. the On the day of its IPO in March, Roblox founder and CEO David Baszucki tweeted a thank you to all who helped bring the platform “one step closer to fulfilling our vision of the #Metaverse.” Since then, Roblox has teamed up with skateboarding shoe company Vans to create Vans World, a virtual skateboarding park where players can dress up in fresh Vans gear and opened a limited Gucci Garden, where you can try and buy clothing and accessories for your virtual self.

Minecraft. Another virtual universe beloved by kids, the Microsoft-owned Minecraft is essentially the digital equivalent of Legos, where players can create their own digital character and build whatever they desire. As of August, Minecraft boasts more than 140 million monthly active users. During the pandemic, it has exploded in popularity among kids who had to rely more heavily on virtual connections.

Some lesser-known companies have launched their own online worlds. The online fantasy world Second Life, founded in 2003, is in its second decade as an alternate reality.

The online haven Nowhere has persistent and temporary virtual spaces – for public or private use – to hold concerts, festivals, reunions, and conferences. The Windmill Factory, the New York production company which began developing the platform more than a year ago, has done projects for Lady Gaga and Nine Inch Nails.

The Sensorium Galaxy earlier this year opened the first two of its planned galaxy of various connected online “worlds” to explore with VR headsets or desktop computers. Prism, the first to open, involves music – virtual DJs and bands play, for instance – in futuristic landscapes.

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