A recent survey by Axios and Momentive found that the majority of U.S. adults are less than thrilled by the imminent arrival of the metaverse. The companies gave the survey to over 2,500 adults in the United States from March 23-25.
Participants were asked whether they were more scared or excited about the future because of the metaverse. According to the study, 58 percent of American adults feel indifferent towards i. Nearly one-third of participants stated that the metaverse makes them more afraid of the future. In contrast, just 7 percent said they were excited.
In addition, Axios and Momentive say that 60 percent of participants said they were unaware of the metaverse upon joining the survey. However, another study by Razorfish found that most Gen Z gamers feel more ‘themselves’ within the metaverse.
The survey also found that only 16 percent of American citizens own cryptocurrency. Additionally, 34 percent believe crypto to be too risky. Of course, this fear isn’t without merit. Wormhole, a cryptocurrency portal, was hacked earlier this year, resulting in the illegal minting of $300 million.
Additionally, the survey found that 54 percent of U.S. adults are excited about smart homes, while 51 percent would like to live in a smart city.
Here Comes The Metaverse
Since Facebook’s rebranding as Meta in 2021, the term metaverse has saturated the tech world. The metaverse marks the next generation of the internet in which users will interact in virtual reality via 3D avatars. However, the attitudes of the majority of the U.S. population toward the metaverse could mean that companies investing heavily in it will not earn the revenue they expect. Despite this, Web 3 pioneers, like Niantic and Microsoft, are forging ahead. Recently Meta added in-world purchases to its metaverse, Horizon Worlds. Additionally, Virtual land has been selling for exorbitant amounts on platforms like The Sandbox and Decentraland.
Jack Brassell is a freelance journalist and aspiring novelist. Jack is a self-proclaimed nerd with a lifelong passion for storytelling. As an author, Jack writes mostly horror and young adult fantasy. Also an avid gamer, she works as the lead news editor at Hardcore Droid. When she isn't writing or playing games, she can often be found binge-watching Parks & Rec or The Office, proudly considering herself to be a cross between Leslie Knope and Pam Beasley.
