The Current State of the Metaverse and Its Limitations

Over one-third of the current $500 billion metaverse market is focused on metaverse development, and that number only continues to grow. As the metaverse expands, the opportunities to make an impact multiply. But making inroads means understanding the current state of the metaverse and taking stock of its limitations.

State of the metaverse today

The current state of the metaverse is characterised by a diverse landscape of existing platforms that vary in size, focus, and capabilities. Some of the existing giants in the metaverse space include popular games like Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnite. Each of them has gained a massive user base and offers users virtual worlds where they can create, interact, and engage.

Emerging crypto players such as Decentraland and Sandbox are also moving into this space. Built on blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies offer decentralised virtual worlds where users can own and trade virtual assets.

Apart from these established platforms, there are also "build your own metaverse" platforms available. They provide users with tools and frameworks to create their own version of virtual worlds and experiences.

Such “DIY” platforms often target developers, creators, and businesses. The focus is on those who want to build their metaverse for a specific purpose like virtual events, training simulations, or brand experiences.

These platforms also enable industrial-focused metaverses that cater to individual industries. Virtual environments are tailored to verticals such as automotive, architecture, and real estate.

Metaverse limitations

While the metaverse continues to expand and grow, it’s also not without some critical limitations.

Technology	Ecosystem	Usability
One of the biggest limitations is the current technology, including graphics, networks, and devices. While virtual worlds and experiences have come a long way, it’s still challenging to deliver realistic and immersive graphics. That hurdle is compounded by trying to ensure stable and seamless network connections along with optimising its performance across various devices. As users have more ways to access the metaverse — including PCs, consoles, and VR/AR devices — creating a seamless experience across all of them can be difficult. This can limit the number of concurrent users within a specific metaverse space.	Another limitation is the technical ecosystem, including infrastructure and interoperability issues. With the metaverse still in its early stages, there are no standardised infrastructure and interoperability protocols. Having these frameworks in place would enable seamless movements and interactions between different virtual worlds and platforms. Without them, it limits the ability to create a truly interconnected and interoperable metaverse. This makes it more difficult, if not impossible, for users to easily navigate and interact across different virtual environments.	Despite how intuitive many digital devices can seem, there still exists a learning curve for most of the current metaverse platforms. Most are still aimed towards gamers, making it challenging for non-gamers or less tech-savvy users to navigate. Faced with difficulties engaging within the metaverse, many won’t try it, limiting the potential for broader adoption and participation.

Making the metaverse work for you

The fast-changing nature of the metaverse means that though there are current limitations, those roadblocks aren’t permanent. With large investments pouring into this area and many startups and tech giants turning their focus on it, most of these challenges will soon be overcome.

It’s this promise of the metaverse that is driving the growth. This is also why understanding that promise and how it relates to different industries is critical. Join us next week as we explore the metaverse’s potential impact and how to get there.