The Metaverse: Top 15 Platforms by Developer Community, Usage, and Benefits

The metaverse is gaining significant momentum, with companies, developers, and users all exploring this new digital realm. While still in its early stages, some metaverse platforms stand out for their growing developer communities, expanding usage, and unique benefits. Here are 15 leading metaverse platforms to watch in terms of developer and user adoption:

1. Decentraland

As one of the first blockchain-based virtual world platforms, Decentraland has seen impressive growth in its developer community. Using the Ethereum blockchain, developers can buy virtual land and create scenes, applications, and games without a central authority. Some unique benefits include full ownership and monetization of creations via NFTs. Over 1,800 active developers are building intriguing metaverse experiences.

2. The Sandbox

The Sandbox provides a web3 gaming metaverse fueled by user-generated content. Developers can build 3D voxel worlds and games and monetize assets/creations via blockchain and NFT technology. With partnerships with major brands like Snoop Dog and The Walking Dead, The Sandbox is attracting over 1,500 active developers to its ecosystem.

3. Roblox

Roblox is a wildly popular online game creation platform that contains many metaverse elements. With over 20 million experienced developers on the platform, developers can create immersive 3D experiences while accessing Roblox’s user base of almost 50 million monthly active users. The ability for even young developers to learn and earn on Roblox is a major benefit.

4. VRChat

VRChat has become a popular metaverse platform for users to create virtual worlds and customize full-body avatars. Easy avatar customization combined with accessibility via VR and desktop has attracted a creative community. Over 8,000 user-created worlds exist to date, providing growing opportunities for user-developers in designing meme avatars, gaming worlds, talk shows, NFT galleries and more.

5. Cryptovoxels

Cryptovoxels is laying the foundation for a user-owned internet within a virtual world powered by blockchain. Developers can build stores, galleries, games and more atop user-owned land and earn through rentals, tickets, NFT art sales and other means. With over 500 virtual parcels already claimed, Cryptovoxels’ creative community is exploring models for a true web3 economy.

6. Somnium Space

Somnium Space stands out for pioneering persistent open worlds via web and VR with NFT-based ownership of land/creations. Developers have already used over 4,000 land parcels to create experiences like malls, arenas, galleries, concert halls and more. Support for custom development via SDKs in a truly interoperable environment makes Somnium Space promising forspawnign innovative concepts.

7. Spatial

Spatial provides hosted metaverse environments for everything from virtual offices to conferences to interactive 3D presentations. The intuitive web and mobile interface lowers barriers for non-technical teams to host branded metaverse spaces. At the same time, Spatial offers SDKs for developers seeking custom integrations or more immersive experiences via AR/VR. Early adopting developers already power over 100,000 monthly active users across Spatial environments.

8. Mozilla Hubs

Mozilla Hubs allows anyone to create 3D virtual worlds via an easy browser-based interface. Developments can instantly publish worlds for multiuser access across devices. Over 130,000 virtual rooms have been built on Hubs to date. Easy support for embedded React apps, 3D models, videos, images, and other media makes Hubs a versatile platform for developers seeking fast metaverse world creation.

9. Virbela

Virbela has seen fast adoption as a virtual world platform for enterprises, with custom deployments for company offices, events, and training. Support for private worlds with fine-tuned access control provides Virbela some advantages in professional usage. Virbela offers full consulting and development services atop its platform. Integrations with popular software tools like Salesforce, Slack, and PayPal add further benefits for enterprise application.

10. Meta (Horizon Worlds)

Meta’s Horizon Worlds aims to be a consumer metaverse platform built for the masses. Extensive avatar personalization options appeal to mainstream users alongside exploration of user-created worlds. Meta plans to monetize assets and incentivize contributions via creator funds. Upcoming integrations with other Meta technologies like avatars from Facebook/Instagram may increase direct reach. As adoption grows, Horizon Worlds could benefit developers seeking large readymade audiences.

11. High Fidelity

High Fidelity focuses specifically on deployment of open-source technologies for the next generation of the internet. For developers, its open ecosystem for deploying virtual worlds, currency, identity services, and more on a decentralized infrastructure provides unique opportunities. Coupled with VR support, High Fidelity empowers developers to build rich experiences. The use of domain names to own spaces offers better discovery for user-developers as well.

12. Epic Games (Unreal Engine/MetaHuman)

While not a metaverse itself, Epic Games still plays a pivotal role for developers via Unreal Engine and tools like MetaHuman Creator. Unreal Engine 5 brings powerful 3D/physics engines combined with improved workflows for developers to build high fidelity and immersive metaverse experiences. MetaHuman Creator drastically cuts down development time for creating unique human faces/characters. As more metaverse worlds rely on believable digital humans, Epic’s suite of tools become even more impactful.

13. Nextech AR

Nextech AR offers several tools and technologies focused specifically on augmented reality solutions for eCommerce and other applications. As AR and VR continue to merge more with metaverse concepts, Nextech tools provide value. In particular, its 3D model creation tools lower barriers for these models to appear within virtual worlds and games as common assets. Additionally, AR experiences built via Nextech can ultimately extend to presence within full virtual environments.

14. Microsoft (Mesh/Teams)

Microsoft Mesh aims to make holoportatiobn mainstream by allowing users to appear as avatars in augmented virtual environments via holograms. Support for collaborative design sessions, meetings, and remote assistance use cases today potentially sets the stage for more immersive cooperation in future metaverse platforms. Existing integration with Microsoft Teams provides Mesh a solid user base to demonstrate capabilities and adoption readiness for enterprises.

15. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing demonstrates gaming’s influence in laying social and economic groundwork for metaverse acceptance. Players already use custom pattern design tools to decorate homes and the ability to display art and collect rare items shows opportunities for digital ownership via NFTs. Stalk markets trading currency within the game also mirror potential decentralized finance aspects of metaverses. As gaming integrates more interactivity and user creation tools, examples like Animal Crossing suggest metaverses may evolve more seamlessly.

Key Takeaways

Between surging developer communities in platforms like Decentraland and The Sandbox to massive audiences in worlds like Fortnite and Roblox, several promising metaverses are emerging to watch. As virtual worlds converge with persistent online social spaces, many development opportunities exist. Creating the right assets, APIs, SDKs, and distribution channels should be key priorities. At the same time, ensuring positive network effects via engaged user bases and putting creator/user incentives first will help sustainable metaverse economies thrive. The foundations established today in these top metaverse platforms and developer technologies will likely shape the next evolution of the internet.