Pick the platform that suits your needs best
One of the first factors any brand must consider is which metaverse platform they want to engage with. Currently, there is no single “dominant” ecosystem, since the idea of a wider metaverse is to have multiple, interoperable worlds. That said, some virtual worlds are more popular than others, and many offer services tailored to a particular vertical or specific type of content.
Take, for example, a couple of more prominent metaverse platforms out there, Decentraland and The Sandbox. Both are virtual worlds where players can explore, buy items and property, engage with games, and create content. However, these platforms come with notably different tools and interfaces.
Decentraland has a robust gaming engine that supports complex 3D objects and environments. The Sandbox, on the other hand, uses voxel-based graphics — akin to Minecraft — resulting in highly stylized but fairly blocky visuals. This makes The Sandbox somewhat more attractive for certain types of users (e.g., younger gamers), while Decentraland has an edge when it comes to displaying things like 3D art and fashion.
As such, brands should carefully think about the presentation, popularity, demographic, and functionality of any given metaverse platform to ensure it aligns with what they’re trying to achieve. For example, if a hyper-real visual representation of purchasable clothing is the aim, brands might want to veer away from voxel graphics which could warp designs.
Meanwhile, Decentraland offers enough graphical precision to recreate real-world items in a way that can preserve what makes them attractive. Decentraland recently played host to the first Metaverse Fashion Week held in late March. The event featured virtual fashion shows and other promotional activities, presenting 3D recreations of immediately purchasable real-world products.
There are, of course, many other platforms and campaigns that can be explored, all with their own pros and cons. They could be focused on sports, entertainment, gaming, or culture, but what’s important is to build brand-focused attractions on specific metaverse platforms that cater to relevant demographics to maximize engagement and adoption.