At the forefront of the future is the theoretical concept of the metaverse, an ever-expansive and digitally thriving space wherein all of the traditional internet-based forms of information coexist in a decentralized 3D space. As of right now, the metaverse remains a pipe dream. This pseudo-tech haven has captured many of the most influential minds in the technology space, most prominent among them being Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney.
Yet another example is Everdome CEO Robert Gryn, whose ideal metaverse looks as hyper-realistic as the real-world spaces we exist within today. Everdome, which incidentally leverages Sweeney's Unreal Engine 5 platform, is the place upon which advanced virtual reality technology and still-burgeoning Web3 concepts collide to deliver, as best as possible, a digital mirror of our own world - or, at least the Martian one for the time being.
In early February, Everdome initiated its three-phase launch plan targeting the Martian planet as its first mainline destination. These three-tiered stages existed as almost sneak peeks for Everdome consumers, allowing explorers to first venture into the body of the digital spacecraft, actively participate in the launch sequence, then literally explore the red-hued, dust-filled planet via both VR headsets and browser-based interaction.
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Since then, Everdome has made massive strides, partnering up alongside Alfa Romeo's F1 racing team in March, as well as debuting a full-blown Martian city in May. Its future is only looking ever more expansive, especially now that Gryn has stepped down from his role as CEO of Metahero in order to focus all of his efforts on the trajectory of Everdome. I was fortunate enough to have a chat with Mr. Gryn in the lead-up to what is surely a fantastic culmination of 2022.
Tech Times: What is the most exciting thing about building within the metaverse?
Robert Gryn: Everything is exciting about it because the metaverse is something we're only just beginning to explore. For nearly every business currently on the planet, you can go straight to Google and search for a 'How to' guide, but that isn't the case with the metaverse. We're entering uncharted waters as metaverse pioneers. There's no precedent, no structure in place that we have to follow. This allows for complete creative freedom for us to do whatever we like, which is a rare opportunity and a creator's dream.
TT: Where do you see the technology heading in 5 years' time?
RG: Accessibility is going to be the name of the game in the coming years. In terms of Everdome, we're going to work on interoperability, which will open up the metaverse to more users and systems. We're also going to build user-friendly layers that will give more people the opportunity to experience and enjoy everything the metaverse has to offer, without the need to understand each aspect of the tech behind it - such as cryptocurrency, blockchain, wallet access and so on. Everdome is currently being developed as an English-first platform, but there may even be the potential to introduce Arabic in the future to increase accessibility in that sense.
On top of this, there's the opportunity to develop new user metrics and enhance engagement. With a deeper understanding of our users and how best to meet their metaverse needs, we can customise the platform in ways that will bring more enjoyment and add increased value to them and our partners.
TT: How does Everdome expand and enhance the metaverse concept?
RG: Everdome is going to be the most hyper-realistic metaverse when it is released. This in itself is going to create an entirely new metaverse experience for users and investors alike, because there simply hasn't been anything like this yet.
We consider ourselves to be a key creator or developer of the metaverse. Our aim is to deliver the most hyper-realistic metaverse configuration that the world has seen - and to continue testing and pushing boundaries for an ever-improving, deeply immersive and engaging experience.
While naturally we're committed to creating an environment and ecosystem that our users can enjoy, the continuous development of Everdome is part of something much bigger. What we're doing contributes towards the natural evolution of the metaverse and the way we communicate through technology as human beings in general.
TT: What led you to your role as CEO of Everdome?
RG: The role of CEO isn't something I necessarily associate myself with. I'm a founder, and as a founder there are many parts of the business that I am actively involved in. There's nothing that leads up to taking on the role of CEO - there's just the act of doing what needs to be done to get the Everdome metaverse up and running.
Everdome came about through my long-time interest in developing technologies, especially cryptocurrencies and, of course, the metaverse. I've had experience in the field in the past, as well as strong experience in building successful businesses in related fields - and when the time was right to launch this new venture, I was eager to jump in. The time is right for a hyper-realistic metaverse experience such as Everdome, which makes this a very exciting time.
TT: What are your thoughts on the current state of cryptocurrencies?
RG: This might come as a surprise given recent news around cryptocurrencies, but I feel very positive about the market. Any new technology, asset, idea, whatever is going to come with an enormous amount of sentiment and opinions that go both ways - especially in the early days. And we are in the early days of cryptocurrency. People are still figuring it out. Some are attempting to lead the space as sources of knowledge, others are heavy investors, some are starting out, some are still dubious... and all of that is ok. There is always going to be two extremes with anything new - overt enthusiasm, and a natural sense of suspicion.
So yes, sentiment overall is down at the moment when it comes to cryptocurrencies, but it will rise again when the market picks up - which it will.
I do feel that there are some security issues that will need to be addressed as the crypto market matures and grows, but on the whole as an investment opportunity and in terms of speculating its future, I find cryptocurrency to be very exciting.
TT: What does your ideal "metaverse" look like?
RG: The ideal metaverse in my opinion is one that is based in reality, but that offers the opportunity to go beyond the laws of physics and the limitations of the real world. We can choose the rules and limits of our metaverse - we can have lower gravity for example, or even no gravity at all, or we can cross great geographical distances in the blink of an eye. Retaining an element of interconnectivity with the real world though is important, as it helps to merge both physical and metaverse environments even more seamlessly.
I also believe that the ideal metaverse will be one that is truly decentralized to offer the best possible experience to users, investors and creators alike, and I would like to see the 'perfect' metaverse be governed by its users.
TT: What's next for Everdome in terms of interesting new adventures, features, and implementations?
RG: We'll shortly be opening our spaceport in Hatta, UAE, for users to enter the Everdome metaverse. This is the first of our three-phase Everdome roll-out, which gives our users the opportunity to explore a stunning spaceport in the beautiful Hajar Mountains. It's a truly immersive, breathtaking introduction not only to Everdome and the in-game mission, but to the true capabilities of the most hyper-realistic metaverse. Later this summer we'll hold a live rocket launch as the Everdome mission sets off on its journey to Mars. This will naturally be followed by landing on the Red Planet at the end of 2022, which will start the process of colonization - and that's where the real depth of the metaverse will come to life. We've already sold thousands of metaverse land plots that people can develop on our version of Mars, and we're working with several partners to build exciting elements for our users to explore and interact with. And, on that note, you can expect some more major partnership announcements from us in the coming months.
TT: What is one thing the metaverse concept is sorely lacking right now?
RG: In short? An engagement strategy and/or methodology. Because the metaverse is still a relatively new concept things like user engagement haven't been fully explored yet. There is a solid opportunity for someone to step in and explore how best to build user engagement within the metaverse, which will ultimately lead to an improved experience for everyone throughout the ecosystem.
TT: What does the business of the metaverse look like in action?
RG: It's important to remember that, as I just mentioned, the metaverse is still in its early stages. Right now it's very creator-focused, which means the essence of the metaverse revolves around six core concepts: ideation, opportunity, education, reach and adoption, engagement methodology, and monetisation strategies.
Everyone with a finger in the metaverse pie is invested deeply in discovering, better understanding, and further progress within each of those six concepts. In terms of ideation for example, we're looking at what can be done now versus six, 12, or even 36 months down the line. Opportunity at present is about finding the right partners to take on this journey with us, so that we can grow the strongest possible ecosystem. Education, reach and adoption go hand-in-hand; we need to ensure enough people know about and understand the metaverse to the point where they are excited to give it a try for themselves. Engagement methodology will help us to keep them interested, once players enter the metaverse. And, last but by no means least, monetisation is key to ensuring a sustainable metaverse ecosystem that will continue to grow and develop for many years to come.
