The current metaverse user experience is not even close to being as optimized as it will become in the forthcoming years.

Metaverse might have gained popularity in the last few years but the concept has been around since the 1980s. At present, people are witnessing gamified worlds with limited integration and engagement abilities. Therefore, it can be said that the Metaverse is still a blank canvas for early adopters to test and entertain the concept. But from major tech companies like Meta (known as Facebook in the past) and Microsoft to the top luxury brands like Gucci, every company is trying to intersect with many new worlds, from building new physical and virtual realities to providing services in environments created by others. Metaverse–as-a-service will allow this level of configuration without anyone needing to learn any code so that brands and sectors can tailor their features and functionality to their audiences. Web3-powered technology has a significant role to play in helping push forward with the concept and idea of the Metaverse; thanks to blockchain technology, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), extended reality (XR), and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, and plenty more. Metaverses that feature bespoke functionalities, speak to their customers and industry of choice, and build new avenues of virtual engagement will find the most value in a metaverse-as-a-service (MaaS) offering. Read how Metaverse-as-a-service will take Web3 motive to next level.

We are at the beginning stage

There is no denying that we are at the beginning stage of development when it comes to the Metaverse technology. The current metaverse user experience is not even close to being as optimized as it will become in the forthcoming years. Buying a VR helmet is still a barrier to entry for many people, while the need to navigate various exchanges, blockchain platforms, wallets, and fiat-on and off-ramps still prevail across much of the decentralized space.

These days, nobody buys licenses or installs programs on their machines anymore. Companies don't even own or operate their hardware anymore — everything from infrastructural hardware to document storage to software — is provided "as a service."

Metaverse-as-a-service or MaaS is the inevitable next step. Currently, brands are utilizing established metaverses like Decentraland or Roblox because that's what's available, it's where users currently are, and it provides an infrastructure for them to test initial ideas about how to leverage the metaverse for branding and marketing purposes. 

What is Metaverse-as-a-service (MaaS)?

Metaverse-as-a-service (MaaS) is defined as an enterprise solution that allows organizations to develop and strengthen their presence in a 3D virtual world to support collaboration, business processes, investments, cryptocurrency, and other related use cases.

Importantly, MaaS will not help companies build their Metaverse equivalents that compete with Decentraland or Roblox but will instead allow companies to gain from existing Metaverse infrastructure, similar to how SaaS operates.

Pros and Cons of Metaverse-as-a-Service

Organizations without extensive digital experience or expertise can develop Metaverse products. Even small to mid-sized businesses can participate in the Metaverse economy without formidable capital costs.

Immersive experience

Think of the metaverse as a 3D upgrade to the traditional way of using the internet. A more immersive way of experiencing the different aspects of the net and all that it offers.

The big advantage of the metaverse is that you are more enveloped in whatever activity you're doing. You experience everything in the most immersive way which allows for more opportunities for both personal and business ventures. You can exercise, socialize, play games, and have business meetings in a virtual environment.

It encourages investment in what is still an experimental technology. Most platforms are still limited to consumer use cases and solutions like Meta's Horizons' suite of apps or Microsoft Mesh are yet to see widespread release. In this environment, MaaS allows companies to invest and gain from the technology with minimal risk.

Eventually, MaaS could drive standardization in the sector, with a few companies acting as Metaverse 'brokers' to help in infrastructure development.

Privacy and security issues

Privacy has always been a concern on the internet, with people unaware of their data being collected and sold to advertisers, among many other things.

What makes these concerns worse is the fact that Meta is leading the charge towards the new metaverse. Considering their previous history with privacy concerns of their users, that doesn't simply fade away with their name change.

The downside is that organizations could risk vendor lock-in. As the metaverse evolves, it will become increasingly difficult to port MaaS investments to another platform, if necessary, especially without the requisite digital skills. However, a 'vendor lock-in' degree of maturity is still years away, and for now, MaaS is a promising option for organizations looking to enter the Metaverse.

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