The term “metaverse” refers to a digital realm beyond the universe, popularized by authors like Neal Stephenson, Ernest Cline, and William Gibson. It has gained significant attention and investment, playing a crucial role in various industries such as education and gaming. Gamers utilize virtual reality game engines to create immersive experiences in the metaverse. However, there are concerns about its potential risks, including addiction. Here are some noteworthy statistics that shed light on this emerging digital realm:
1. Companies and individuals have invested over $2 billion in the metaverse, indicating a growing interest in this virtual realm.
2. The metaverse is considered a pivotal trend for 2023, with an estimated value of $8 trillion, according to Goldman Sachs.
3. Meta Reality Labs has invested a staggering $10 billion in metaverse development.
4. AB InBev’s collaboration with Zed Run to market NFT horses resulted in NFT prices soaring to as high as $165,000.
5. In January 2023 alone, the term “metaverse” was searched approximately 1.9 million times globally.
6. The metaverse community promotes the prohibition of themes like suicide, animal abuse, hate discourse, and online harassment.
7. Three primary benefits of the metaverse, as highlighted by a user survey, are tackling real-time challenges, fostering creativity, and digitally touring the globe.
8. By 2030, the global metaverse market could be worth a staggering $936.57 billion.
9. Around 31% of US adults are unfamiliar with the term “metaverse.”
10. 68% of tech pundits believe the metaverse will make significant waves in the next five years.
11. The tech and IT sector accounts for 17% of all metaverse-related investments.
12. The virtual fitting rooms in retail are projected to grow from $4.03 billion in 2022 to $13 billion in 2028.
13. The market cap of the extended reality sector (AR, VR, MR) was valued at $92.88 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $252 billion by 2028.
14. Roblox remains the premier game in the metaverse, with 55 million daily active enthusiasts.
15. Over 50% of online users have concerns about data security in the metaverse.
16. In a survey of 1,000 people, potential addiction was viewed as the most alarming risk associated with the metaverse by nearly half of the respondents.
On the technology front:
17. Investment in VR/AR, which forms the foundation of the metaverse, is expected to reach $72.8 billion by 2024, up from $12 billion in 2020.
18. The collective market value of AR, VR, and MR is predicted to reach $250 billion by 2028.
19. Metaverse AR & VR devices are projected to generate revenue of approximately $1.17 billion in 2023, with an annual growth rate of 15.36% until 2030.
20. Shipments of AR and VR headsets are expected to reach 43.87 million by 2025.
21. Approximately 50% of US adults believe more affordable VR headsets are essential for metaverse adoption.
22. The revenue projection for the AR and VR market is $52.05 billion by 2027.
23. Europe’s VR/AR market is estimated to grow from $2.8 billion in 2021 to $20.9 billion in 2025.
24. The extended reality market (AR, VR, MR) is predicted to be valued at $100 billion by 2026.
25. The number of mobile AR users worldwide is set to increase from 200 million in 2015 to 1.7 billion by 2024.
26. 66% of respondents believe XR (AR, VR, MR) will revolutionize virtual learning.
27. 53% of consumers are willing to spend over $300 on entry-level VR headsets and controllers.
28. Global sales of XR headsets are expected to triple by 2025.
In terms of metaverse usage:
29. The metaverse attracts over 400 million active participants each month, with a significant portion being young teenagers.
30. Large corporations, males, and the Gen Z demographic are the primary targets for businesses entering the metaverse.
31. Roblox has a global daily active user base of 58.8 million, with an increase from the previous peak of 52.2 million.
32. 70% of individuals aged 16 to 44 are familiar with AR technology.
33. The valuation of virtual art galleries has reached $2.4 billion, with further growth expected in 2023.
34. Approximately 400 million people globally engage with the metaverse regularly.
35. Over 25% of worldwide consumers are interested in exploring virtual experiences.
36. 25% of American adults see the metaverse as a potential successor to traditional social media platforms.
37. 39% of American adults believe the metaverse can provide experiences that are otherwise inaccessible in the physical realm.
Regarding metaverse gaming and events:
38. Fortnite’s event featuring Galactus attracted 15.3 million gamers and had 3.4 million viewers across platforms like YouTube Gaming and Twitch.
39. Travis Scott’s virtual concert had the highest attendance with 45.8 million viewers, followed by Lil Nas X at 37 million and Ariana Grande at 27 million.
40. 59% of metaverse gamers are males, with an average age of 27.
41. Metaverse music events garnered the most interest from millennials, with 32% showing moderate enthusiasm.
42. The metaverse gaming sector is expected to reach $710.21 billion by 2027.
43. Around 60% of gaming enthusiasts use the metaverse for virtual activities beyond traditional gaming.
Despite the numerous benefits and use cases, concerns remain regarding security and privacy in the metaverse, with many individuals expressing worry about these issues.