What is the difference between Metaverse and Multiverse?

These dreadful words need some explanation

Although they sound almost familiar, as they are starting to pop up everywhere, what is the difference between Metaverse and Multiverse?

In 1992, the writer Neal Stephenson introduced the term "metaverse" in his sci-fi novel, describing the escape to a world where the digital takes the place of the physical.

Affected by literature, movies, and other media, the collective imagination turned the Metaverse into a network of systems that creates a virtual universe based on social connection. On the other hand, the term "multiverse" has diverse meanings depending on the context, but it is usually associated with the existence of parallel virtual worlds.

What might seem a mere literary device belonging to the realm of science fiction is now shaping new digital realities, supported by a technological ecosystem of AI, VR, AR, and so on. Using all these technologies, the user (or, better, their avatar) can socialize, play, or do business with other individuals, no matter how geographically far they are from one another. 

To fully understand the possibilities it opens, let's dive into the topic and look at the difference between Metaverse and Multiverse.

To the Metaverse and beyond

Big companies are significantly investing in the development of metaverse platforms. For instance, Facebook has called its holding “Meta” and started a project with this name.

In the wake of Meta, Microsoft has also paid attention to the Metaverse, focusing on creating online meetings where people can enter as three-dimensional avatars. In particular, its platform Microsoft Mesh offers virtual worlds where collaborative experiences can take place, connecting users from anywhere.

Nowadays, the Metaverse is not a unique reality but a collection of several technologies and different platforms. It is still necessary to exit a virtual universe to access another one, with no continuity among them.

Simply put, the Metaverse is an inevitable consequence of the current way of thinking, which aims at a set of virtual spaces where we can interact as avatars.

Accessing the already-existing platforms is simple: the user only needs to register. One can then use a headset or VR device to start their 360-degree experience. Moreover, virtual and augmented reality are becoming increasingly popular and accessible, with more apps and devices being devoted to them.

What are the benefits of creating a metaverse platform for a business?

Constant attention to the Metaverse is understandable. Without any doubt, this frontier represents an opportunity to stand out for several reasons:

• More business opportunities: for instance, by creating video games or apps for VR and AR.
• Marketing: the Metaverse can be a marketing tool to reach new clients and promote products and services in innovative and captivating ways.
• Training: it is possible to create virtual environments to offer immersive educational experiences.
• Collaboration: the Metaverse can simplify collaborations and remote working, thus reducing costs and increasing involvement.

Enter the Multiverse but forget about Marvel

“The Multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little."

Nothing could be truer, yet, if we try to capture the concept, we can define the Metaverse as a virtual reality stratified on an unlimited number of systems. In the last years, the idea of the Multiverse has gained significant success and has started referring to a vision of a future where virtual reality is an uninterrupted experience.

Then what is the difference between Metaverse and Multiverse? Whereas the Metaverse aspires to create a unique system to host all these virtual worlds, the Multiverse describes an ecosystem of interconnected systems. Notwithstanding its definition is still debated, the Multiverse can be interpreted as the set of the virtual or digital worlds that technology allows us to explore.

In both cases, it has to do with the chance of being physically in a place and suddenly partakingin a concert, appearing in the middle of a forest, sitting among friends, or joining a work meeting.

Metaverse VS Multiverse

We can wonder what the Metaverse will look like: a universe that merges all the immersive worlds built by diverse companies and allows users to teleport in and out, transport and exchange goods such as NFTs from one platform to another, and many other still unimaginable features. The multiverse will probably be much more than a world, more or less interoperable.

What is sure is that as soon as you understand the difference between Metaverse and Multiverse, you cannot but hurry up and get familiar with what is already a reality. Who knows, you might be ready to seize a unique opportunity.