What to watch: The metaverse continues to evolve

Now that AI has ceded its title of "computing" technology to artificial intelligence - and it looks like the AI ​​won't be letting up any time soon: one might be tempted to think of these environments as abandoned buildings ready to close, as virtual tumbleweeds blow through.

We would be wrong.

The media spotlight may have changed, but the builders of these virtual worlds have been busy. Because there are still brands, users and, for some, vibrant gaming communities to serve, with the same vision for the go-to online gathering place of the future.

Back in the present, the builders intentionally acted to improve the experience, add features, and refine actions or interactions.

"Fashion in the metaverse is experiencing something of a renaissance this fall," explained director Sam Hamilton. creative from the Decentraland Foundation. “Our latest addition, the ability to export VRM [virtual reality model] files of your Decentraland avatar for use on other platforms, marks a significant step forward in interoperability.

"This feature not only allows users to maintain their unique identity across multiple virtual worlds, but also provides a golden opportunity for wearable creators in our ecosystem to showcase their creations on various platforms.”

One ​​of the biggest criticisms of the first metaverse was the inability for people to bring their digital goods or their avatar. -port from one metaverse to another. In the spring, Metaverse Fashion Week featured interoperability as its main theme, with Decentraland partnering with other Metaverses, The Sandbox and Over, as co-hosts. Now, with VRM, there is a potential standard. If widely adopted, at least by most popular platforms, it could greatly improve the experience and give virtual and fashionable collectibles a boost.

The avatar is very important to everyone on our platform, to everyone in the community, including brands."

Decentraland is set to host a special event in conjunction with Mona on September 15 to celebrate VRM, and plans are in the works for this feature to play a central role in the upcoming Metaverse Fashion Week 2024.

At Roblox, the company has revamped its avatars in recent years, offering a softer aesthetic as an option that the original blocky shapes, once a signature look of the platform since its launch in 2006, offer facial expressions that can mimic those of their human owners. More recently, the platform released customizable head and body options, as well as new facial animations.

"What is becoming more and more evident is how people come together and interact with each other, how they express themselves. themselves with their avatars,” said Christina Wootton, director of partnerships at Roblox. “It can be creating avatars that look and feel like them, which makes them even more excited to express themselves for digital fashion and beauty. The avatar is therefore very important for everyone on our platform, for everyone in the community, including the brands. »

Wootton cited the company's joint metaverse fashion trend study published on last year with the Parsons School of Design, in which 70% of Gen Z respondents agree that their avatar and their actual style influence each other. That same year, Roblox also released Layered Clothing, a feature that allowed for more realistic 3D clothing to be created for its avatars.

New announcements are expected for RDC, the annual Roblox developer conference in September. Since the platform has focused on this...