With Facebook changing its name to Meta in October 2021, the metaverse became the new favorite buzzword. To cater for its rebranding, the social media giant poured resources into a new division called Reality Labs to spend at least 10 billion dollars in 2021. The idea is to develop metaverse content, software, as well as AR and VR headsets, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes will be as widespread as smartphones in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated the interest in developing metaverses. There is an increased demand for more interactive ways to connect with others as more people have started working remotely. Virtual 3D spaces that let coworkers join meetings, catch up, and collaborate are on the rise. The Microsoft Mesh unveiled in November 2021 is an example. It features immersive spaces for users to mingle and collaborate using their avatars, making remote team meetings more engaging and fun.

Some online games are embracing the metaverse as well. The AR mobile game Pokémon Go was among the first to tap into the concept by allowing players to hunt virtual Pokémons in the real world using a smartphone app. Fortnite, another popular game, has expanded its product to different activities inside its digital world, including hosting brand events and concerts. 

Apart from social media and gaming platforms, tech companies like Nvidia have opened new opportunities in virtual worlds. Nvidia Omniverse is an open platform designed to connect 3D spaces into a shared universe to facilitate virtual collaboration between engineers, designers, and creators. It's currently being used across different industries. For instance, the BMW Group is using the Omniverse to reduce production time and improve product quality by smart manufacturing.