It Is surprising to learn how many of people had received the Oculus over the holidays. When Meta rebranded the popular CR headset to Quest 2, they reached a milestone of 10 million units sold in 2021. I’m intrigued about the spread of the metaverse and the marketing opportunities it could provide as a creative storyteller. Still, I’m fascinated by how quickly people are adapting to this way of life.
The pandemic has set the perfect stage for the metaverse to take off. It has created a society where social anxiety is on the rise and the desire for convenience is at an all-time high. We as a society have become accustomed to being alone because of the prolonged periods of isolation that COVID-19 has forced us into. Some of us, speaking from personal experience, have found solace in the silence and have turned inward to uncover the introverted parts of ourselves. The metaverse is, by design, meant to be used in isolation. You don’t need other people physically present when putting on a headset to travel the world or hang out at a virtual bar.
The pandemic has caused us to value convenience now more than ever before. We turn to our TV screens for instant entertainment, our phones for fast delivery, and our computers for quick check-ins with the boss. Droves of offices are downsizing, physical storefronts are closing, Uber Eats is bringing food to our doorsteps, making it virtually pointless to leave our homes.
