• Home
• /
• Tech
• /
• Business

Metaverse in UAE: Top 5 things you can do in the virtual world

Enjoy a meal at a café as flying cars zoom by Burj Khalifa or play immersive games

Suit up, get married or simply have an awesome night out… all from the comfort of your home, snuggled under the warmth of your virtual reality headset.

Once considered a niche location where games like Roblox and Minecraft were played, the metaverse has now blurred the lines between what’s real and virtual. Last month, the UAE saw its first metaverse wedding, sparking fresh discussions about what’s possible in this whole new world.

Let’s dive into this new and intriguing parallel universe.

1. Café with a Burj Khalifa view as flying cars zoom by

The Metaterrace café in Dubai’s DIFC is an example of how to merge the metaverse with the real world. In this unique concept, people can enjoy a meal with stunning views of the Burj Khalifa. What is more, they can invite friends in different parts of the world to join them via the MetaTerrace metaverse.

The physical café has been replicated on the metaverse on 1:1 scale. Those sitting there can wear a VR headset and experience the place in both the virtual and physical form. Only that the virtual space is a lot more exciting with flying cars, crypto whales and added features like portals into other metaverses and dimensions.

Those behind this concept want to make MetaTerrace a meeting point for all Web3 and cryptocurrency enthusiasts. "Our goal is to create a hub for the people to come, learn and experience what the metaverse is and get educated about the fascinating world of NFTs," said Shahid Khan, the co-founder & COO of ColossalBit, the company behind the MetaTerrace concept that provides consulting & development services for blockchain, NFTs, metaverse & gaming projects.

However, the founders have gone one step further to ensure that the real and virtual worlds merge. “People who are joining via the metaverse can order virtual AR food to their friends’ table and pay for it with cryptocurrency,” said Co-Founder & CTO of Christian Chalfoun. “It is a chance for those in different countries to come together and catch up in the metaverse. We are sure that with boundaries blurring and people coming together from all over the world, it will be a great experience for everyone.”

2. Build your own community, buy plots

One of the most exciting aspects of the metaverse is the community building aspect of it. While some are communities built over common interests, others are based on the ownership of common NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens). Dubai resident Aaron Illathu is part of a prestigious sports community called the Knights of Degen. “A friend of mine told me about this community/project,” he said. “We were both sports fans. I began researching and it was really interesting. It was like buying into a sports community where you can discuss anything sports related. It's an intriguing project and the number of Knights or tokens is limited. All in all, I thought it was a good investment both, financially and socially, in a space that I thoroughly enjoy. So, I decided to join the community by buying one of the NFTs, a Knight of Degen. When you buy a knight there is a digital avatar assigned to that NFT. I got lucky with my knight - he's pretty funky.

“What I like most about being part of the community is that whatever physical or digital memorabilia is bought, it is treated like community property. There is a common fund called the King’s Purse that comes from a small portion of the sales/royalties from Knights in addition to being donated into from Knight owners. The community can then vote on what purchases are made with the King's Purse. There are many functions the community can use these funds. For example, we have been buying up plots of land in the metaverse for a future virtual tavern. On top, of that we also have a fan controlled (American) football team now. Coolest part about it is a bunch of active and retired players from different sports have joined the Knights of Degen so you get to engage with them as well. That is what I like the most about being part of it, the sense of community of like-minded individuals who make creative, smart, and fun decisions together."

3. A red carpet welcome

Let your avatar sashay down the red carpet before entering a concert hall to enjoy some beautiful notes at the launch of a music video.

The world premiere of the music video Stardust will happen on the metaverse where those attending will join the team at the concert hall in EvaWorld.io to listen to keynotes from creator, UAE-based Indian musician Uzair Merchant as well as from the CEO of organizers Finhaven™.

Attendees can also participate in a scavenger hunt to win prizes and rewards in FINtoken. Talk about the party to be at!

The international musical collaboration between artists from Vancouver and Dubai follows Uzair’s heartbreaking struggle during the pandemic when his father was immobilized following a cardiac arrest.

The music video, which has received an honorable mention at the Los Angeles Film Awards 2021, will be minted as an NFT and be offered for fractional NFTs at Finhaven Private Markets.

Fractional NFTs allow buyers to have a shared ownership token of one NFT.

4. Power suit up!

Want your avatar to feel empowered in a power suit as you travel through the world of metaverse? Local brand BRIAR PRESTIDGE – The Label has you covered.

The fashion label that sells ready-to-wear power suits for women made of luxurious fine wool and cashmere in Dubai, New York and London is now expanding to the metaverse. You can now pay in Ethereum and purchase a suit in your favorite color for your avatar to look a million dollars on Decentraland.

With their partners at Republiqe, BRIAR PRESTIDGE – The Label debuted their NFT suit collection for avatars at the World’s First Metaverse Fashion Week on popular VR platform, Decentraland. It was the only independent fashion label from the UAE to feature.

Briar Prestidge, founder of the label, is excited about the future possibilities of the metaverse. “Just like we didn’t know how the internet would evolve in the 90s, the future of the metaverse is still relatively unknown,” she said. “But we’re starting to form an idea about what it could look like. It will likely reshape how we work, live and socialize. So why shouldn’t BRIAR PRESTIDGE – The Label exist there? We all need to be curious, participate in this space and get involved. Eventually, I believe, that every company is going to become a Web3 company. The metaverse and all its components is going to be a big job to build, and I’m excited that we’re playing an active part.”

5. Game on

Play immersive games: Bring on the armour suit and neuro helmet…because the gaming just got real! Farcana, a P2E (Play to Earn) game imagines Mars where the explosion of a nuclear bomb has made the planet habitable. Players land on the base of the nuclear plant in Mars and their goal is to stay in the zone, destroy the enemies and win real bitcoin!

ALSO READ:

• UAE committed to build Web3.0 community

• KT Explainer series: What is blockchain technology?

• DP World to explore metaverse to solve real-world supply chain challenges

• e& launches region’s first Telco NFT collection

Players can play using a NFT avatar, the qualities of which will fully respond to their personal characteristics. They can also experience procedural music that is integrated into the game and changes in response to different states or events the players are facing. Farcana reads human emotions through wearable devices, understands emotions, and changes procedural music to create an outstanding atmosphere.

The makers of Farcana test every aspect of the game by playing it in full armour.

The VR vest is targeted to feel the blows and shots while the neuro helmet and wristlets collect the brain signals during games. These are then interpreted using AI methods and helps to create and personalize NFT avatars.