Over the past few years, the idea of the perfect world within the Metaverse has proven disappointing and wasteful, resembling a shallow attempt at a virtual world. Zuckerberg has spent half his wealth chasing the trend, and despite promising that the Quest 3 is better than the Apple Vision Pro, the dream of the Metaverse is essentially dead.
While the premise of a Metaverse sounds great on paper, the technology just isn't there yet. No one wants to wear a VR headset for hours, and despite the Quest 3 usually being favored over the Apple Vision Pro in debates, both headsets feel heavy after prolonged use, and neither has a battery life long enough for extended VR sessions.
Zuckerberg has been pursuing the wrong concept of the Metaverse for years, while PlayStation Home perfected the formula between 2008 and 2015. Although the PS3's technology doesn't compare to modern consoles, it provided a truly unique experience - one that you had to participate in to fully appreciate.
Creating your own avatar and decorating your own apartment with free or paid furniture felt genuinely exciting. However, the various worlds are what made it truly impressive. You could go to a theater and watch TV shows or game trailers with friends and strangers, play mini-games, and converse with other players. There was no progression system or competition, no season passes or FOMO. It was simply a universe for you to enjoy as you pleased.
PlayStation Home shut down in 2015, two years after the launch of the PlayStation 4. However, the idea of a Metaverse didn't die then. As the best VR headsets became more accessible, people like Mark Zuckerberg hoped to bring the idea into a new world, with little success.
This failure is likely due to the fact that Meta Quest headsets don't have the same adoption rate as the PS3, and people have different ideas about how to use their VR headsets. No one wants to jump on a trend just because it has a futuristic-sounding name. PlayStation Home didn't need trends to create an experience, just a solid idea and the potential to be something big.
PlayStation Home may be officially dead, but many people still want a successor. Destination Home has fans developing a version of the game for new and old players to enjoy, and a renewed trademark for PlayStation Home has reignited community interest.
I'm not sure if PlayStation Home will ever return officially. But, every attempt at a Metaverse since then has missed the point. It's not about trends, gimmicks, or expensive headsets. It's about being accessible and having a community of devoted players willing to keep the peace. To this day, no game or app has recreated that vibe.
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