Will Metaverse be NextG Internet? Vision, Hype, and Reality

TL;DR

This paper explores the concept of the Metaverse as the next-generation Internet, reviewing industry visions, existing platforms, and analyzing network performance to assess its current state and future potential.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of Metaverse definitions, industry perspectives, prototype platforms, and network performance analysis, offering insights into its development and challenges.

Findings

Existing social VR platforms as early Metaverse prototypes

Network performance varies across platforms

Opportunities for future innovation identified

Abstract

Metaverse, with the combination of the prefix "meta" (meaning transcending) and the word "universe", has been deemed as the next-generation (NextG) Internet. It aims to create a shared virtual space that connects all virtual worlds via the Internet, where users, represented as digital avatars, can communicate and collaborate as if they are in the physical world. Nevertheless, there is still no unified definition of the Metaverse. This article first presents our vision of what the key requirements of Metaverse should be and reviews what has been heavily advocated by the industry and the positions of various high-tech companies. It then briefly introduces existing social virtual reality (VR) platforms that can be viewed as early prototypes of Metaverse and conducts a reality check by diving into the network operation and performance of two representative platforms, Workrooms from Meta and AltspaceVR from Microsoft. Finally, it concludes by discussing several opportunities and future directions for further innovation.