Harvard MBA Alumni Organizes A Reunion In The Metaverse Amid Calls For Upgrade
The concept of the Metaverse has always been a point of contention. But what is undeniable to critics is that virtual events come with convenience despite their shortcomings.
Harvard Alumnus Organized a Metaverse-based Class Reunion
The Harvard Business School’s MBA program class of 2017 wants a different experience for their yearly reunion. As a result, the Metaverse is the chosen venue to hold the annual class reunion.
According to the lead organizer, Sean West, opting for the Metaverse is easy. It saves money and time and also prevents fatigue due to flights.
When the 2017 class sat down to iron out the details of the planned reunion last December, travel restrictions were in full force due to the COVID-19 variant. This altered the initial plans regarding when the class would be able to see and embrace one another in person.
However, a mass video call seems to be an unattractive option because it has been used a couple of times by the class. As a result, the Metaverse appears to provide that feeling of being in attendance in a real-world scenario, hence the choice.
Furthermore, 90 class members from 28 countries used the Oculus Quest VR headsets to watch their professor introduce his new book.
The event marked a significant milestone in using Metaverse and the Quest VR headset for virtual events. Meanwhile, critics have continued to tear down the Metaverse, arguing that it is overhyped. They also argue that adopting a fully immersive virtual experience will disrupt reality and expose users to a data breach.
But proponents like Sean West argue that the Metaverse is the future of the internet. With the Metaverse, people can use their digital avatar and virtual reality to experience an immersive make-believe reality.
According to West, the Metaverse can change the way people do things like finding a job, banking, buying properties, and even shopping. It is a good development that will aid the ease of doing things, added West.
VR Technology Needs Improvement
After the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought the world to its knees, virtual meetings are steadily moving to the Metaverse. However, VR technology will need some fine-tuning before people can agree to shift all virtual meetings to the Metaverse.
The founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, recently opined that VR technology still has a long way to go before it becomes mainstream. Many people have a story to tell after briefly using the VR headset, which prompts the call for an upgrade.
Industry experts believe many users have had a daunting experience using VR headsets, and some of those experiences are worse than imagined.
Currently, VR is an occasional tool that few people use due to a lack of information about its everyday use case. The devices may be portable, but their affordability is another well-known issue the industry can address.
As misunderstood as it is, the Metaverse only needs some time before it becomes mainstream.
