When the concept of the Internet was introduced for the first time in the1970s, it was not very easy to describe what it exactly was. Was it a place? Could you go there physically? How do people go on there? Where is it exactly?  An interesting point to note is that we are revisiting these same questions now, but about the Metaverse.
<h2>What is Metaverse?</h2>
Metaverse is a concept that encompasses different technologies and virtual spaces. How they are different is that these spaces will be persistent, meaning that they will come to exist even if you aren’t ‘playing’ or ‘online The concept is ever-changing and evolving, whether it is new concepts being born in <a href="http://delta.exchange/blog/what-is-metaverse">Metaverse</a> or older technologies, companies adapting themselves to be a part of it. In a way, Video Games can be an excellent way to understand how Metaverse works, where you have your own avatars and can interact, play with others in real-time, buy different things in the game itself, and much more.
Even in Metaverse, one will be able to work, interact, play and socialize in a 3D Virtual place.
<h2>Current Market Trends in Metaverse:</h2>
Bloomberg recently claimed that Metaverse could be an $800 Billion market vs. $400 Billion in 2020, which means that we are looking at an annual growth rate of 13%. The scope of Metaverse is expanding so quickly that it could potentially accommodate live events such as concerts and sports events.
As of now, the main player in the Metaverse is the gaming industry. The gaming industry’s pre-existing hardware has to easily facilitate the gaming companies to transition to the Metaverse. Along with this, Facebook’s Oculus will play a crucial part in capturing a large market.
The Metaverse is also a big marketplace for live events and subsequent online advertising. Some gaming companies have already hosted live concerts in their games. Metaverse provides a place to host concerts, sports events, or even film showings in a  3D virtual space. It allows these events to be worldwide and offer the same experience as an in-person live event.
There is definitely a dominance of certain companies seen in the Metaverse as of now, but that can change soon.
<h2>Key Technologies that power the Metaverse:</h2>
The main idea that drives Metaverse is getting as close to reality as possible in a virtual space. For this reason, companies are using technologies like AR (Augmented Reality), VR(Virtual Reality), Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, 3D reconstruction, and Internet of Things (IoT).
The primary concern with Metaverse was the safety of its user’s identity and data. <a href="http://delta.exchange/glossary/blockchain">Blockchain </a>helps reduce this problem as it provides a decentralized way of functioning and enables a governance process. Along with this, it incorporates crypto, which, as seen before, can help users buy, transfer and claim ownership of digital assets in a safe manner.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality provide the hardware for the user to have an immersive and real experience. While AR adds to or augments a user’s real-world, VR creates an entirely separate virtual world. Both these technologies are being improved, and people might be able to hear, feel and interact with people.
Out of all these technologies, Artificial Intelligence has already become an integral part of our lives, be it face recognition or Alexa and Siri. AI will play an essential role in the creation of Non-Player Characters (NPCs) and also creating scenarios. Additionally, it can also be used to create avatars. AI would scan 2D & 3D pictures to create realistic and accurate avatars.
3D Reconstruction will essentially allow companies to build 3D models of real-life spaces and bring us closer to realness in virtual spaces.
The Internet of Things will play a key role in bringing what we have in the physical world to virtual spaces. For example, integrating IoT into meta could change the way particular meta-objects function, like based on the weather, which will be real-time and closer to our real-life scenarios.
<h2>Major Companies working on the Metaverse project:</h2>
Meta, previously known as Facebook, announced last year that it would dedicate a team solely working on products for the Metaverse that can be used for travel, business, and entertainment. They called Metaverse the next big thing.
Google has been working on AR and VR, intending to bridge the gaps between physical and virtual worlds.
Microsoft said that it would add 3D elements to Microsoft teams in 2022, which would have features like holographic images and avatars.
<a href="http://delta.exchange/blog/what-is-the-sandbox">Sandbox</a>, a virtual gaming world built on the Ethereum blockchain, is opening avenues of the Metaverse for its users by letting them buy a plot of land, create what they want there, and sell their creations to other gamers. 
<a href="http://delta.exchange/blog/what-is-decentraland-how-does-it-work">Decentraland</a> will enable its users to be a part of a shared virtual through the virtual ecosystem on its platform where users can buy or sell digital property, play games, exchange collectibles, socialize, interact and explore.
Roblox is a game worth more than $45 billion, where users can create houses and role-play. It is also partnering up with major brands like Vans and Gucci to create virtual skating rinks and parks.
Metaverse is a concept that is just going to continue growing and encompassing more and more things under its gambit. More and more companies are going to embrace it, and more and more technologies are going to be used to make it bigger and better. A good way of looking at its growth potential is by comparing it to the internet. Initially, only a few understood it, used it, and needed it, but now every other thing we do is connected to it, and no one can really escape it.

AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, 3D reconstruction, and Internet of Things (IoT) are the underlying technologies that drive metaverse.

Underlying Technologies of Metaverse