The metaverse is still in its infancy, even though the large groups already see it as the last playground for new generations. Are they ready to migrate to these virtual universes? Nothing is less certain, according to an American study.
Not a day goes by without a company announcing its entry into the metaverse, this immersive universe that its supporters say promises to be the next generation of the internet. Many see it as an opportunity to expand their income while getting closer to the Z’s, their favorite target. Investment bank Piper Sandler interrogated 7100 American teens with an average age of 16 on their relationship with this emerging industry.
Obviously it doesn’t pique their interest. Half of the respondents said they weren’t sure or didn’t plan to buy a device to access the metaverse for the time being. Only 9% plan to buy a virtual reality headset in the coming months. However, all “hope” is not lost: a quarter of respondents (26%) have equipment AD hoc and a third of these teens occasionally use it to explore this virtual world, where you can buy a replica of Paris Hilton’s bum bag, for example.
These numbers cast a shadow over the plans of Meta (ex-Facebook) and other companies that have made it their mission to contribute to the rise of the metaverse. Mark Zuckerberg’s group recently announced it wants to offer content creators the ability to sell virtual objects to users of Horizon Worlds, the premier augmented reality platform.
While young Americans aren’t showing much interest in this technology yet, they could be entering it through the prism of video games. 68% of teens surveyed by Piper Sandler describe themselves as: gamers, an ideal target for companies looking to invest in the metaverse. If this digital space of the future is still in its infancy, video game players have already given it some depth. The proof with Fortnite which has been hosting virtual concerts of international stars such as Travis Scott, Zara Larsson and Ariana Grande for two years now. Mega-events followed each time by tens of millions of players.
Cryptocurrencies and NFTs, two other blockchain-related innovations, could also be gateways to the metaverse, but not for American teens. Only 11% and 8% of young people surveyed by Piper Sandler have purchased virtual currencies or non-replaceable tokens, respectively. However, many more of them are familiar with these new technologies… and are therefore potentially taking the plunge.
