Metaverse blends sci-fi with reality — and it may one day replace the internet

THE METAVERSE IS a network of always-on virtual environments in which many people can interact with one another and digital objects while operating virtual representations — or avatars — of themselves. Think of a combination of immersive virtual reality, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game and the web.

The metaverse is a concept from science fiction that many people in the technology industry envision as the successor to today’s internet. It’s only a vision at this point, but technology companies like Facebook are aiming to make it the setting for many online activities, including work, play, studying and shopping. Facebook is so sold on the concept that it is renaming itself Meta to highlight its push to dominate the metaverse.