About 52% of U.S. gamers believe the metaverse will change the game industry, according to a survey by tech services firm Globant and polling firm YouGov.
The survey was aimed at figuring out how aware and comfortable gamers are with the metaverse, the universe of virtual worlds that are all interconnected, like in novels such as Snow Crash and Ready Player One. Globant explored U.S. gamers’ thoughts, attitudes, and opinions on the metaverse in a survey of a thousand PC, console, and mobile gamers in May.
Asked who was the top company associated with the metaverse, gamers said Meta (73%), Epic Games / Fortnite (27%), Roblox (21%), The Sandbox (15%), and Niantic (10%).
“Through this survey, we see that although the development of the metaverse is still in its early stages, U.S. gamers already see the technology as capable of expanding the realm of possibility in gaming,” said Nicolas Avila, CTO for North America at Globant, in a statement. “As knowledge of the metaverse and what it’s capable of becomes more common, we’re looking forward to seeing this sentiment spread to more people across industries.”
Advertising caution
According to the survey, 35% of respondents said they were comfortable with advertising in a metaverse
space, while 25% said they were undecided, and 40% were uncomfortable when it comes to viewing ads in the metaverse. When surveyed specifically about tracking of eye- and- head movements, nearly half (46%) of respondents reported they would feel uncomfortable with these measurements.
But “free,” meaning you exchange your data for free access to otherwise paid services, may make a difference. Of those surveyed, just under half (44%) would accept advertising in the metaverse if it provides free access to apps, games, or places.
Play-to-earn
About half of gamers are more interested in “playing” than “earning” within metaverse games, but a significant number of gamers see value in mixing playing and earning together. The numbers break down as follows:
- 49% are more interested in playing
- Only 11% are more interested in earning
- Nearly 40% would like some mix of both playing and earning within metaverse games
The survey found 52% of gamers believe the metaverse will change the video game industry and a plurality (41%) think that the metaverse will have a positive impact on the industry (vs. 25% who disagree). In fact, 40% say the buzz around metaverse gaming is warranted, though nearly one-third (30%) were undecided on that subject.
It could be a matter of familiarity. While a majority of gamers (60%) are confident in defining the metaverse, familiarity and interaction with the space still needs to mature among this population – just 39% think the gaming metaverse will mature in less than five years, though nearly the same number, 38%, believe it will take longer.
Other findings
Who has purchased NFTs? The vast majority (81%) of respondents have not purchased NFTs, with just 16% saying they have done so.
Who is interested in purchasing, trading, or earning cryptocurrencies within the metaverse? Slightly more than one-third (34%) of respondents expressed interest in completing cryptocurrency transactions while nearly half (45%) were not interested, leaving 20% undecided. Men (41%) and 18-44-year-olds (37%-47%) expressed higher levels of interest in these transactions.
Sponsored by Globant and conducted by YouGov, the survey canvassed 1,000 U.S. adults – aged 18 or older – who played more than three hours of video games per week on PC, console, and/or mobile platforms. Mobile-only gamers were screened out of the survey.