Dr. Lou added that one of the main limiting factors that stopped the expansion of the Metaverse was that people misunderstood many things. Dr. Lu said that games hosted on platforms like Roblox are “virtual worlds” rather than “true” metaverses.

Warren Woon, co-founder of local metaverse platform Xctuality, says the overall level of understanding of the metaverse is “relatively shallow.” He added that this sometimes leads to “misunderstood concepts” and limited application of the technology.

“In many cases, large organizations only see KPIs that the metaverse is deployed without viable long-term commercial plans,” said Web2 (the current state of the Internet) to Web3 ( the next evolution of the Internet, which incorporates concepts such as blockchain technology and is used to access the Metaverse),

Accessing the Metaverse via virtual and augmented reality also doesn’t come cheap.

Most headsets range in price from S$100 to S$1000, although there are some cheaper headsets under S$100.

Meta’s Kim said, “The cost of purchasing a VR headset or future AR glasses is inevitable and potentially prohibitive despite our best efforts to make headsets as affordable as possible. It can become a thing.

“This is why we are also focused on building other entry points into the metaverse, such as mobile phones, apps and AR technology.”

Experts also agree that the Metaverse can be accessed through other means such as smartphones and computers.

“Other toned down versions, stripped down versions can be created so that even those who do not have access to the full immersive experience can still participate in the metaverse using their own devices or other means they have access to.” NTU Assistant Professor Benjamin Lee says:

“You can access the Metaverse from your regular desktop computer today. It’s not as rich or immersive as immersive technology, but you can still access the Metaverse through these other means,” added Dr. Lu. .

Entrance to the metaverse is also often limited by factors such as internet speed and mobile device capabilities, Woon said.

“With the current state of technology and communications, it remains difficult to optimally access and consume the Metaverse, and there is a need to create easily accessible entry points into the Metaverse for the masses across geographically distinct markets. There is,” he explained.