When the global pandemic hit, many companies scrambled to find ways to still be productive, and efficient with communication, and keep their procedures together. It was a difficult time, full of uncertainties about the present and anxieties about the future.
A negative situation for so many companies, organizations, and industries created massive success for others such as Zoom. Overnight, Zoom went from a simple yet effective tool for the occasional remote worker to one of the most used tools in the world. Millions or organizations turned to the video conferencing app in a time of need and Zoom delivered a temporary solution.
However, that temporary solution began to sour very quickly, as people at home began feeling Zoom fatigue and became tired of sitting at a desk watching a 2-dimensional screen. Many users missed the elements of in-person interactions, shaking hands, hugging, and being able to whisper to a colleague or yell across the street to get a friend’s attention. The elements of the 3-dimensional world that humans had loved since the dawn of communication and society were suddenly transformed and brought down to their most basic levels. In a matter of months, our entire world went from a beautiful, bright, and adventurous life to a screen sitting at a kitchen table.
As Zoom had risen in popularity, Virtual Reality manufacturers and app developers saw a unique opportunity. Apps like ENGAGE XR and headset manufacturers like Meta realized that the worlds and digital environments they were already building could give everyone an opportunity to experience the elements of in-person communication that Zoom lacked. Haptic Feedback on a controller allowed us to feel someone shaking our hand, advanced Avatar technology in ENGAGE allowed us to create digital versions of ourselves that we could use to enter these beautiful and immersive environments.
The apps and headsets that brought us into these environments continued on, making many professionals realize that not only was Virtual Reality a positive alternative to Zoom, but it could also create complete fantasies, allow better communication remotely, and allow users to live out real-life scenarios from anywhere with an internet connection.
Suddenly, we had a way to escape the fatigue of our 2-dimensional screens and step into a completely new digital world. This forever changed how we communicate with one another and opened up completely new opportunities thanks to the creators, developers, technologists, and what was to be named “the Metaverse”.
