Why everyone is welcome in the Metaverse

by Adele Lefebvre du Prey and James Allen

Photo by Christine Sandu on Unsplash

Gaming. A word classically associated with antisocial teenage boys, sat in their bedrooms till the early hours of the morning, shunning the outside world. 

Fling this stereotype out the window. 

In case you hadn’t heard, gaming is now a multi-billion-dollar industry reaching people of all ages, genders and types. 

Gaming has quite literally opened up a whole new (virtual) world - now more commonly referred to as the Metaverse. What began as online forums bridging the gaps between previously distant communities of gamers has evolved into something far more dynamic and all-encompassing; a parallel world in which the rules are being written by the next generation. It’s why Twitch and Discord are fast becoming worthy competitors to other major social networking sites, with Mark Zuckerberg acknowledging recently that the future of Facebook lies in the Metaverse. 

Whilst Zuckerberg has been vocal about the opportunities for shopping, socialising and even business in this new virtual world, gaming is still undoubtedly what makes the Metaverse the exciting and inclusive proposition that it is.

A fundamentally human desire for connection with like minded people - or ‘tribes’ in marketing folk speak - amplified by an anomalous 2 year period in which physical connection has been at a premium, has driven people from all walks of life to see what virtual worlds can offer them, with gaming the obvious entry point. In fact, many of our SELFHOOD Collective members have spoken about actively finding and investing the time to play video games to help dissipate the isolation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

For many, gaming has become part of their self-care toolkit. 

As the world starts to emerge from physical isolation, it’s clear that these digital communities are too important not to remain intact. The Next Gen have forged close friendship groups both on and offline. Gaming is no longer an anti-social pastime - it’s highly collaborative and inclusive, and studies have illustrated gaming’s role in developing social and motor skills.

The world of gaming is also incredibly creative and a great expression of personality for young people. As such, the crossover between real and virtual life takes many forms. From dance crazes to cosplay conventions, video games are a reflection of localised culture, beaming not just around the world but directly onto our streets and into our houses.

Fashion, music, design and art are all integral to successful video games as well as forming the cultural currency for a new generation - and brands are duly taking note. 

There have been some truly unexpected, yet amazing, collaborations between high fashion brands and video game developers. Take Moschino x The Sims, Louis Vuitton x League of Legends, even Prada x Animal Crossing. And the collaborations don’t stop there. There have been a number of music x gaming crossovers in recent years, such as Stormzy appearing in Watch Dogs and, most memorably, the likes of Marshmello and Travis Scott performing online concerts in Fortnite. 

The fact that gaming is influencing both the music and fashion industries demonstrates the prevalence of these surging new communities in both adopting and dictating the cultural zeitgeist for the Next Gen. 

What’s more - it’s clear that the rules of this new world are dictated by Gen Z: the most fluid and creative generation yet.

To our generation, a gamer is just another label that no longer represents an all encompassing identity. It is now one part of a true mishmash of local and global touchpoints. 

The possibilities are endless and brands should not dismiss the gaming community as something they can’t connect with. Successful crossovers, like the ones mentioned above, have demonstrated that even brands with tenuous (if any) links to gaming can still play a role in this new world. 

Long gone are the days when the gaming community exists in its own parochial bubble; there is a totally new universe to tap into and explore. Just like the millions of curious people who picked up gaming during the pandemic, it’s time for brands to dive in and find out what awaits.