Meta’s virtual world promised a revolution in digital freedom but is shaping up rather differently. Will the widespread appeal of adult VR content mean its demise?
In a time where the technological rush appears to be endless, and where every day we learn about new innovations that could change our future in truly incredible ways, the much-ballyhooed Metaverse as proposed and somewhat delivered by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Platforms, Inc. has been a most controversial development. Though the technology can seem promising, the more time users spend in the capital-M Metaverse, the more common the reports of confusion and dissatisfaction appear to be. Meta’s future, once almost certainly positive, now seems quite uncertain, as does its role in the advancement of an online virtual world fit for a global user base.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has stated that he ”always thinks it’s important that people understand what something is,” and that he’s “not sure the average person can tell you what the Metaverse is.” Cook may be a tech leader with few equals but he nevertheless speaks to the layperson’s concern. With so many would-be Metaverse users wondering just what in the world the Metaverse can actually do for them, Zuckerberg and his team appear to have misfired in at least one department.
Meta’s plans to become the world’s most used metaverse platform are not going as hoped, perhaps because it’s being made too family-friendly. [Image: Meta Platforms, Inc.]
Far too much of the online discussion surrounding the Metaverse, both before and after it was launched, focused on trying to figure out exactly what it was, whom it would serve, and how it was any different than social media, chat rooms, and existing VR communication tools. An ambiguously described outing from the outset, the Metaverse remains obtuse. Zuckerberg can claim it will succeed the Internet as we know it – as, in fact, he does – but that is entirely dependent on the adoption of technologies required to best utilize its infrastructure, the expansion of said infrastructure, and the eagerness of a massive user base to utilize the Metaverse at large.
Adult Leading the Way
As the historical development of numerous technologies has already proven, adult content can (and likely will, if not must) play a significant role in selling the Metaverse to a user base. Without the freedom to engage in adults-only experiences and social activities, it cannot be said that any metaverse genuinely offers freedom. Meta’s tight grip of control over Metaverse activities may very well bolster the efforts of competitors to create a more open and accepting metaversal platform just as Facebook and Instagram’s restrictive content moderation spurred on less successful but still necessary alternatives. This will likely be the case for future iterations of any wider metaverse: multiple companies vying for control of a market with limited flexibility for users. This is where common interests enter and exert their influence over the industry.
In a world of open-source solutions, user-made modifications, and everything being fully customizable, indeed it seems that Metaverse is limited by overly strict rules that will be a huge obstacle to its future popularity growth. What’s more, the Meta’s CEO has no intention of allowing adult VR content into this particular virtual universe. VR porn is, alongside VR games, one of the most popular and profitable elements of the entire virtual reality industry; any entertainment industry, really. Meta’s Metaverse can, at best, only hope to provide a base level opportunity for its users to go ‘off-world’ to get their more adult needs met. Driving adult content and desires underground rarely proves successful, as YouTube and Facebook have already learned.
Terminal18 Aims to Satisfy
One intriguing adult-friendly alternative to the Meta-branded Metaverse is Terminal18. Based in France, this exciting startup decided to design its own metaverse, selling virtual land to any buyer. Those who purchased early appear to be primarily focused on adult content – the ‘18’ in ‘Terminal18’ is definitely there for a reason – and include ‘The Netflix of VR porn’ VRPorn.com, acclaimed studio VR Bangers, and a range of other outfits both professional and amateur, mainstream and niche. On their purchased plot of virtual real estate, each owner can promote, sell, and distribute adult products and services. With a huge percentage of VR headsets being used to watch immersive sexual entertainment (according to Google Trends), the need for an adult-friendly metaverse platform is paramount to any metaverse’s eventual success.
Purchasers of Terminal18 real estate can choose from existing templates and endlessly customize their spaces. [Image: Terminal18]
While still a niche operation, albeit one with a huge potential audience, Terminal18 offers seemingly endless possibilities. The creators of this virtual world allow their customers to open outlets with a wide variety of services and goods not limited to the 18+. Real clothing stores exist alongside NFT markets, sex toy emporiums, and virtual porn cinemas. Making a strong commitment to Terminal18, VR Bangers bought a large section of virtual land and have erected one of Terminal18’s largest buildings, one that you can simply walk into, sit down, and watch VR porn content from its extensive networks of sites. It’s doubtful, however, that VR Bangers’ position as owners of the largest building in this open-minded Metaverse will last forever – for new outlets are opening every day and more and more companies are choosing to invest in this type of service for their customers.
What the Future Holds
“Our metaverse is not finished yet, but we’re working hard with the team to sell more land to other companies and to create a more realistic feel to our virtual world,” says Hugo R, Terminal 18’s co-founder and CEO. “Our metaverse takes the form of a city modeled in 3D, cut into 4 zones, and subdivided into plots. Each plot corresponds to a unique NFT, giving its holder a deed of ownership that allows them to create their activity, customize their virtual space, as well as offer all types of content, ensure its visibility, and monetize its content in NFT format.”
Terminal18’s Metaverse has another advantage: its mission is not hard to understand. This virtual world is nothing less than the first immersive search engine in the form of a 3D virtual city. Terminal18’s goal is to aggregate all adult industry into a virtual location. This is a clearer mission than the ambiguous aims of Mark Zuckerberg’s Metaverse – and one promoting and accommodating true adult freedom in VR.
