Global Perspectives in the Metaverse

Neal Stephenson's 1992 novel, “Snow Crash,” introduced the term “metaverse” to describe a virtual realityVirtual reality (VR) space that is a collective virtualVirtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual realityVirtual reality (VR). In the novel, the metaverse is a sprawling virtual environment where people interact as avatarsAvatar in a 3D computer-generated space. It became a pivotal concept that inspired discussions and predictions about the potential of a fully immersive virtual worldVirtual world.