The Different Types of Metaverses: Which is the best for you?

The metaverse is becoming an extension of our physical reality, opening up a whole new world of experiences and opportunities. From gaming, entertainment, socializing, education, work and business, the possibilities…

The metaverse is becoming an extension of our physical reality, opening up a whole new world of experiences and opportunities. From gaming, entertainment, socializing, education, work and business, the possibilities are endless in the metaverse. One thing is sure: we already have several types of metaverses to explore. The differences may not be easy to discern, especially, if you’re new to this world. We know it can be confusing so we’ll make an attempt to classify the metaverses we currently have. Here are the top 3 metaverses you should discover first.

What types of metaverses are there at all?

There are different ways to categorize the metaverse: Web2 or Web3, traditional or blockchain, centralized or decentralized. You can see these main groups in the image below with some examples of the most prominent metaverses at the moment.

Types of metaverses: Web2.0 or Web 3.0, traditional or blockchain, centralized or decentralized
Types of metaverses

If you’re curious about this kind of general breakdown of metaverse types, go for it. 

All these digital worlds have smaller or bigger groups of dedicated fans. Still, we believe that a true metaverse is Web3, blockchain-based and decentralized. It’s a superhero, all-powerful and indestructible. Other variants of the metaverse are like sidekicks. They are cool and all, but they are still in training, on the road to becoming the real deal. Will they make it? No one knows, so let’s focus on the superhero, Web3 metaverses. 

What is a Web3 metaverse?

Short and sweet, it’s on the blockchain and it’s decentralized. Most people will agree that the metaverse is a shared, persistent, immersive, 3D digital world where you can experience life in ways you’ve never thought possible before – that’s true for all the metaverses. However, a Web3 metaverse is even more than that. 

In a Web3 metaverse, you’re the king or queen of your kingdom. Web3 metaverses give you full control over your experience because you own literally all your assets. You can create, buy or sell them as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), think of items like real estate, wearables, accessories, tools, art. All transactions are recorded on the blockchain, so you can trade on your own terms. Additionally, the decentralized nature of a Web3 metaverse means that there’s no central authority controlling it, allowing for greater autonomy and potentially more innovation within the metaverse.

Now let’s take a closer look at the top 3 types of Web3 metaverses, and see which one is best for you, personally.

Open world metaverse

Remember playing as a kid in the back yard, as you imagined you were exploring a faraway land? Remember the feeling of being completely immersed in your own world, one that was only limited by your imagination? That feeling of discovery and exploration is at the heart of why you’ll be attracted to open world metaverses.

Discover the full map of the Hub 2.0 in AlphaVerse
The AlphaVerse Hub 2.0 map

In an open world metaverse, you can go anywhere you want. You have the freedom to explore vast, dynamic worlds with no set goals or paths, and without any boundaries. A good example of this type of metaverse is Decentraland or AlphaVerse.

There’s something magical about open-world metaverses. Exploration is a big part of the experience, just like discovering a busy metropolis. There are adventures every step of the way. You can find new places, attractions, challenges, events, people and communities wherever you go. This freedom lets you create your own personal journey, at your own pace, making your experience truly personal and unique.

Experience-based metaverse

Let’s go back to that memory of playing in the backyard as a kid. You may have been building a world of dinosaurs in the dense, bushy area one day. But the next day, you came back and built a ninja world next to or on top of it. Experience-based metaverses focus on experiences or specific themes, and you can jump in or out of them. They are all about the experience and give you great freedom to shape that specific world.

A great example is The Sandbox, which offers players more ability to customize their space in the digital world, giving them freedom to express themselves and shape their world. Still, you cannot simply walk from one place to another. In The Sandbox, players go into private servers, meaning they can’t just walk from their own land to another even if they’re connected.

Here’s a comparison. In Decentraland or AlphaVerse, you can explore the digital world in the same way as you would the real world. The Sandbox and other experience-based metaverses give you more freedom to create and design your own world even though you cannot move that freely between different worlds and experiences.

Experience-based metaverses give you more freedom to customize your world
The Sandbox experience

Enclosed metaverse

We can again refer to some childhood magic to illustrate the idea of enclosed metaverses. Remember the joy of collecting plushies, dolls, toy cars, superhero figurines or whatever precious things you felt passionate about? You’ve probably kept them in a special box or on a most visible, central shelf. Now imagine how much fun it would have been to have a whole wall or even room designed to show off your collection. Well, that’s what you can do in an enclosed metaverse with your NFTs.

An enclosed metaverse is limited in scope and size, compared to open-world metaverses. It is more similar to experience-based metaverses where you can enter different spaces, but you cannot move freely between them in one connected world. An enclosed metaverse usually serves specific purposes like creating and curating NFT galleries. You can engage in a limited set of experiences and activities in these environments. 

An NFT gallery on Oncyber
Oncyber NFT gallery

Some of the most popular metaverses dedicated to NFT galleries are OnCyber, Mynt and Spatial. They are perfect for NFT fans and artists to discover new collections and display their own creations or curated NFTs in a 3D, immersive world. You can also host events, build communities and collaborate with others.

Wrapping up

The metaverse is an ever-expanding universe waiting to be explored. It’s getting bigger and more diverse day by day. If you’d like to plunge into this vast world, you can do it in different ways. Whether you prefer more controlled and focused environments, or highly customizable experiences, or more realistic open worlds, the choice is yours. One thing is certain: whatever Web3 metaverse you choose, you’re in for an adventure unlike any other.

If you’d like to discover a truly open-world metaverse, you should definitely come to AlphaVerse. It is completely free to enter, plus you have not one but many universes to discover. We’re still in testing mode, so sign up for our newsletter and be the first to know about the latest releases.