Player experience might be the next step for the metaverse to “blow up big”

In the metaverse, most common activities will transition into a video-game-like environment. Real people will put a headset on and use online games and apps to interact with others in different 3D worlds. Our identity will become a digital twin where a customizable avatar will be the interface in a world where games, virtual reality, live-streaming, crypto, and social media will be flawlessly interconnected.

However, even though the potential is huge, so far the metaverse has had a rocky start. The Wall Street Journal recently published an article outlining the reasons why users are simply not loving the metaverse.

Rumor has it that a curious user visited a “house party” where he was one of two people in attendance. He and the other player boxed for a couple of rounds and then played beer pong until his avatar accidentally fell into the pool and couldn’t figure out how to get out.

There was no one around to help.

Unlike traditional video games, one cannot simply pause, reset, or turn the metaverse off. That’s why the player experience (PX) will play a significant role by keeping users engaged and connected.

What will Player Experience (PX) look like in the metaverse?

The metaverse will enable enhanced player support as agents provide step-by-step guidance without the inherent disconnect from being on the phone or in live chat. It will allow users to give feedback and report bugs in-app.

Let’s go back to the example where the avatar tripped into the pool.

The agent’s avatar could join the room to see the problem in real-time, creating a “visual empathy” where both the player and the support agent can work together to find the solutions to any upcoming issues. This common human-to-human interaction can now be represented by 3D figures.

Community management will also drastically improve. Players won’t just be banned by a bot on a discord server anymore. Spammers, trolls, hackers, and users who break the rules, pose threats to others, or use inappropriate language, will be judged and educated by human agents who can be present in the same room to monitor and moderate different activities. There is no better way to create a safe space that allows users to bond with others over shared interests across the digital sphere.

Speaking about communities… are people forming communities in the metaverse today?

The metaverse is just the next frontier, with a global audience able to build their communities. Bloomberg estimates that by 2024 the metaverse could become an $800 billion industry and will be fully integrated with the daily lives of over 500 million people 20 years from now.

However, Meta researchers reported that users couldn’t find metaverse worlds they liked and couldn’t find other people to hang out with. Other complaints included that “people do not look real” and that the avatars don’t have legs.

To overcome these bumps in the road, tech companies are developing more expensive headsets that will improve the quality of the user experience. In addition, VR companies are striving to own the content to “win the metaverse”.

Bill Young who is Head of games at Twitch recently posted on his social media accounts that Meta is acquiring Camouflaj & Armature Studio. In the past, Zuckerberg’s company has always relied on other developers to publish games on their platforms (Zynga, Wooga, PopCap Games, etc). With these new acquisitions, Meta is hiring lots of available talent from the developer pool to create more games. Not just to sell new hardware — but to re-engage declining Quest users.

The more people get involved, the more the metaverse will evolve. So, when will you get involved?