DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
The 2018 film Ready Player One , which envisioned a future where people are connected to – and living in – the metaverse , may have been a work of fiction , but with the concept dominating the technology world ’ s thoughts last year , could the film ’ s ‘ Oasis ’ be closer than we think ?
Interest in the metaverse is clearly on the rise . The world ’ s biggest companies , such as Google , Apple , Meta and Microsoft , have each made significant metaverse investments . Meanwhile , according to McKinsey , in 2021 , internet searches for the metaverse increased by 7,200 %, and approximately 60 % of consumers said they are excited about the transition of everyday activities , like shopping , dating , and working out , to the metaverse .
Prompted by COVID-19 and the absence of in-person gigs and concerts , the metaverse has made its presence felt in the music industry too . In April 2020 , Epic Games ’ battle-royale video game , Fortnite , grabbed the music industry ’ s attention when a lucrative virtual event starring an avatar of Travis Scott brought in 27.7 million unique players , while a digital gig by Lil Nas X on the Roblox platform attracted an astonishing 33 million viewers . Research conducted by Mastercard last year found that almost a quarter ( 23 %) of people aged 16-24 have already attended a metaverse
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