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The metaverse came onto the scene as a paradigm shift for all economic sectors after the creation of Meta, in a change of course in Facebook's policy in 2021. However, the metaverse is not as recent a creation as we think. Although companies are developing this new space in pursuit of a market in which they hope to make huge profits, the origins of the metaverse are closely linked to the entertainment industry, specifically the video game industry.
Early experiences were equally divided between successes and failures, but companies soon learned that it was possible to make a profit from this new space for virtual interaction. The first big commercial success came with PlayStation Home, which managed to gain the necessary partnerships to make a profit with a free service for users, in the form of activities and games advertised by companies of various kinds. This experience ended with a drop in users in 2015, which at the time stood at around 41 million. Despite this, there are rumours of a possible return of the service, after the trademark was renewed until 2028 at the European Union Intellectual Property Office.
While the video game industry may return to this path, it may do so in a similar way to different economic sectors, which are trying to adapt to the momentum of the metaverse. This therefore translates into a labour market transformation of as yet unknown dimensions. Research is underway as to which sectors can benefit most, and which jobs will be needed to make this paradigm shift possible. Therefore, young people have the opportunity to fill this gap if they are properly trained. Currently, the most in-demand profiles are those related to the metaverse infrastructure itself. As this is a sector under construction, those profiles with high IT skills are the ones that make up the majority of jobs. This does not prevent the future job market from requiring only computer experts. Some of the most in-demand positions in the industry include jobs related to fashion, law, or marketing. This opens windows of opportunity to move some traditional jobs into this new parallel world, since, after all, many of the needs of real life will exist in this alternative life.
Another aspect to consider is the impact that the metaverse may have on the population pattern of different countries. The trend towards population concentration around large cities that many countries have experienced in recent history may be slowed or even reversed if the metaverse proves to be a success. This reality has its basis in teleworking, which can develop enormously with the metaverse. There are web portals that advertise villages that welcome people who want to telework, as many people are looking to get out of the big city routine and live new experiences in rural environments. The promotion of this type of initiative would make it easier for young people brought up in a rural environment to study and work from home, without having to migrate to the city due to lack of opportunities.
All in all, the metaverse is set to be a major revolution for the future employment of young people. However, some issues criticised by some sectors of society need to be resolved. Firstly, Artificial Intelligence may take over the majority of jobs in the metaverse, so we have to decide whether we want a humanised metaverse or not. On the other hand, the potential of teleworking under the metaverse is yet to be known, as a faster implementation of this space, which replaces face-to-face work and goes even beyond video calls, was expected.
Sources:
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De Stefano Antonio Aloisi and Nicola Countouris, V. (2022, February 7). The Metaverse is a labour issue. Social Europe. https://www.socialeurope.eu/the-metaverse-is-a-labour-issue
Días, C., Días, C., & Días, C. (2022, November 16). Las siete profesiones más demandadas en el metaverso. Cinco Días. https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/11/15/fortunas/1668536345_863623.html
Herreros, R. D. (2022, February 7). Historia de los metaversos: 20 años intentando revolucionar la sociedad. Vandal. https://vandal.elespanol.com/noticia/1350751369/historia-de-los-metaversos-20-anos-intentando-revolucionar-la-sociedad/
Hoover, A. (2024, July 14). The Metaverse Was Supposed to Be Your New Office. You’re Still on Zoom. WIRED. https://www.wired.com/story/metaverse-virtual-reality-office-work-slow-growth/
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