Captain’s Log
Time: 2023
Location: The Metaverse
No, you are not in a sci-fi movie or an episode of Star Trek. You are in the dazzling digital age of tech, so welcome to the future, which is actually right now, and where we’ve upgraded from actual reality to dating in the Metaverse. Some daters are ditching regular dating platforms for VR dating apps.
What the heck is the Metaverse? Good question! The word “meta,” which existed long before Mark Zuckerberg used it to rename Facebook and Instagram, has always meant “aware” or “understanding,” according to Merriam-Webster. Adding the word “verse” might make the meaning unclear. Is this “verse” referring to literature or song lyrics? And does the “verse” connote the cosmos or the universe?
According to venture capitalist and angel investor Mathew Ball, who published a series of articles exploring the potential and architecture of the Metaverse, “The Metaverse is a 3D version of the internet and computing at large.
“When these two technologies (internet and computing) first emerged, all interactions were primarily text-based (emails, messages, usernames, email addresses). Then they slowly became more media-based (photos, videos, live streams). The next elevation of user interface and user experience is 3D. Secondly, if we think of [a] mobile [phone] as placing a computer in our pocket and the internet being available at all times, think of the Metaverse as always being within a computer and inside the internet,” Ball explained to Vice.
That means it is both real and not real. Sort of. It can be equated to a video game, but it beats the boundaries of traditional gaming due to its enormous scale. For those who struggle with grasping such abstract ideas, it feels most fitting to refer to it as cyberspace.
Are you following? It’s real and not really real. Got it? Good. So if it’s both real and a little not-so-real, how in the heck do you date in the Metaverse? Because that is a real thing that is happening. Let’s get meta and find out!
How Do You Date in the Metaverse?
To date in the Metaverse, you must sign up and create an account with a dedicated VR dating app.
One like Nevermet, which at the moment is regarded as one of the most popular metaverse dating apps–these dedicated dating apps are just like “real” world dating apps like Bumble, Hinge, and good ol’ Tinder.
But with a twist and the need for extra equipment besides your swiping finger. You’ll need virtual reality (VR) goggles, an avatar (you need one because you can’t just teleport into the Metaverse; remember, this is not Star Trek, and there is no Scotty to “beam you up”), and a potential VR date are all you need to go out on the town in the Metaverse.
Simply said, it’s yet another way for people all over the world to connect, but in a more sophisticated and immersive format. This concept predates the Metaverse by decades, as interacting with people via the internet has been around for a long time—decades, in fact.
Suppose you don’t mind missing out on the physical closeness that comes with traditional dating—in that case, the Metaverse is a great place to meet potential partners, go on a few dates, and even start a serious relationship.
Should You Date in the Metaverse?
Our society relies heavily on outward appearances, but dating in the Metaverse offers another option than being judged by a conventional profile pic–your avatar can be created to represent who you are beyond your physical appearance.
As a result, you and your virtual crush can get to know each other beyond surface levels and learn more about each other than you ever would if you went on a date IRL. And if you aren’t feeling your VR date?
Getting out of your Metaverse date is as easy as removing your headset. You don’t have to have your friend call you with an “emergency” or sit awkwardly and pray the restaurant’s sprinkler system mysteriously turns on and you can go home. Just take off your VR headset and *poof*–like magic, the bad date is over, and you can get on with your life. Or go on another metaverse date; it’s your love life, do what you want!
Takeaways
Some people take dating in the Metaverse very seriously, driving the development of a growing list of niche VR dating apps.
And those people believe that the chemistry they experience with someone online will hopefully translate to real life if and when they meet outside the Metaverse. Many others hope that one day VR will be so lifelike that it will encourage more people to start and maintain relationships with one another in the digital realm.
Dating in the Metaverse may not be for everyone, but neither was online dating a decade ago. Maybe one day, we’ll all be able to meet our future partners in a virtual world and “live long and prosper” with them, thanks to the wonders of modern technology.
