Metaverse vs. Virtual Reality: What’s the Difference?

The primary difference between the metaverse and virtual reality (VR) is that the metaverse consists of a network of virtual realms, while VR offers more limited interactions for users. An important key difference between the two is that the metaverse is created and modified by the user, whereas virtual reality is developed by VR creators. Additionally, users face limitations when exploring and interacting with the pre-designed environment without the ability to alter it. Expand your knowledge of the virtual realms within the metaverse and VR, their key differences, and how they may benefit you and your career. 

What is the metaverse? 

The metaverse is an immersive world that holds a network of interconnected forms of virtual realities where users can earn money, explore, develop content, and communicate with each other. 

What is the metaverse used for? 

The most popular uses for the metaverse are gaming and advanced education. 

• Gaming has been one of the earliest and most popular uses of the metaverse and VR, leading to a thriving industry. The metaverse allows gamers to interface in a three-dimensional environment where they can interact in a more personalized and advanced way. You can also make money when gaming in the metaverse by playing crypto games that participate in selling and trading items.

• Advanced education is the second most popular use of the metaverse. VictoryXR, a provider of virtual reality for schools, has created “metaversities” to allow students to attend college remotely. VR allows students to get the experience of being in a classroom and on campus from home. This concept will create a more exciting and interactive environment for students taking online courses. 

Advantages of the metaverse

The primary advantages of the metaverse include new business opportunities and inconceivable experiences.

• New business opportunities are arising within the metaverse. The metaverse facilitates new, advanced, and captivating customer interactions. Businesses can also utilize the metaverse to create new and more engaging advertisements. 

• Inconceivable experiences are emerging within the metaverse. For example, people with paralysis can run, swim, and climb mountains. If you have cost limitations, it may also enable you to do things you may not have been able to otherwise, such as travel to tropical islands and visit different countries. 

Disadvantages of the metaverse

The primary disadvantages of the metaverse include deepfakes and potential neglect of mental health. 

• Deepfakes are videos created to impersonate, deceive, and manipulate people. People can fabricate videos and images to make others believe false information. For example, someone could create a deepfake depicting you in a negative light that might lead to professional and personal repercussions. As such, deepfakes pose a potential threat to national security and the livelihood of citizens. 

• Neglecting one’s mental health is a possible drawback when it comes to the metaverse. People often use gaming and virtual entertainment to escape from the real world. Users suffering from anxiety and depression may rely heavily on the metaverse as a form of escapism. As such, balancing virtual experiences with real-world support and activities is crucial for maintaining overall well-being. 

What is virtual reality?

Virtual reality (VR) offers a simulated alternate world generated by a computer. It utilizes headsets, computers, and sensors to create any visual imaginable. 

What is virtual reality used for? 

Similar to the metaverse, you can use VR for gaming and education, and as technology evolves, VR is becoming more widely used in medical and public health industries. 

• The medical industry is starting to use virtual reality to augment training for medical students. VR allows students to practice procedures on virtual patients, giving them a better understanding of what the experience will be like in real life. This has the potential to decrease the possibility of error and ensure that surgeons and medical professionals are more prepared for operations and interactions with patients. 

• Public health industries are beginning to use VR for advanced therapy and meditation. Therapists are preparing to use VR for exposure therapy to help people who suffer from PTSD. VR can simulate certain scenarios where patients can confront their triggers in a safe environment to help heal from trauma. This will allow therapists to better understand their patients and help kickstart the healing process.

Advantages of virtual reality

Virtual reality has several advantages including increased motivation in students and teachers and increased social interactions.

• VR is beneficial for education because it increases motivation in students and teachers. Implementing VR into lessons can make subjects such as history and geography more exciting by immersing students and teachers in the location they are learning about. This leads to increased productivity and engagement. 

• Virtual reality increases social interaction by transporting users to a realm where they can interact virtually with each other. This can be a game changer for many people, including users who suffer from social anxiety or have autism. VR can also help you sharpen your communication skills and gain a deeper understanding of how to communicate and interact in virtual and real-world social situations. 

Disadvantages of virtual reality

Although it has several benefits, virtual reality also poses potential challenges, including the risk of hacking. VR also has high costs and limited accessibility. 

• With its widespread global adoption and use, VR poses the risk of cyberattack. VR headsets are prone to hacking, and spyware can potentially watch and record every motion you make. Hackers pose a threat to individual livelihood and the safety of the country. 

• VR systems are expensive to develop and maintain and may not be accessible to schools and people with low budgets. Ongoing maintenance and system upgrades add to the long-term cost of virtual reality. 

Metaverse vs. virtual reality vs. augmented reality

Augmented reality, virtual reality, and the metaverse may have several similarities but differ in key aspects, including their specific uses and the different technologies required for each. 

What is augmented reality? 

Augmented reality (AR) is the morphing of the physical world by adding visual elements to already existing objects and people. You can use smartphones or video viewers to augment reality. 

How does augmented reality fit with the metaverse and virtual reality?

Augmented reality fits within the metaverse and virtual reality because it also uses simulated visuals to enhance education and can aid a variety of businesses. 

Key differences between the metaverse, virtual reality, and augmented reality 

The metaverse is a network of immersive virtual realms, VR is a simulation of a fictional world, and augmented reality enhances the real world with virtual elements. You can access the metaverse and VR through headsets, and AR can be accessed through a smartphone. 

Are the metaverse and virtual reality the same?

The metaverse and virtual reality have several similarities, but they also differ despite those overlaps. To simplify it, think of the metaverse as a network of virtual realities. VR, on the other hand, offers a more limited immersive virtual world.

Career paths in metaverse and VR technology 

One of the most popular careers in the metaverse and VR technology is content creation. If you have a passion for creativity and development, a career as a content creator in the metaverse could be a great fit for you. Game development and design is one of the most highly sought-after positions in VR. You could also consider becoming a marketer or advertiser to promote services via social media through the metaverse. If you are more interested in the engineering side of things, positions for AR, VR, and metaverse engineers are also available. These positions could involve the development of product prototypes and large-scale technological systems. 

Skills for metaverse and VR-related roles 

Several skills are beneficial to you when considering a career in the metaverse and VR-related roles, including computer programming, UI/UX design, and blockchain development. 

• Computer programming is an important technical skill in metaverse positions for creating websites and virtual platforms. Learning Python and other high-level programming languages would benefit you greatly in VR-related roles. 

• User interfaces (UI) and user experiences (UX) connect you to the immersive worlds in virtual reality. UI/UX design will enable you to ensure the interface is seamless and natural and is a great skill to have going into a career in the metaverse. 

• Your ability to create web infrastructure with blockchain will be a critical skill in the metaverse and VR development. The utilization of blockchain enables developers to build worlds under the control of the owners. 

Getting started with Coursera 

The rapidly growing fields of virtual reality (VR), the metaverse, and augmented reality (AR) offer an immense amount of potential across a variety of industries. Deepen your understanding of the metaverse on Coursera with What is the Metaverse? or learn how to create your own VR application with Virtual Reality Specialization.