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The first thing to say is that younger consumers will likely be the early adopters, with 42% of Gen Z and millennials are interested in taking part, while just over 1 in 5 Gen X and boomers are interested at this point. 

For brands, getting to know ‘online-first’ consumers in more detail should be a priority. They’re more likely to be interested in participating in a metaverse, so brands need to understand them better if they’re to create virtual spaces that feel accommodating.

Brands can start preparing right now, and we’ve spoken in the past about how they can look at existing online services for inspiration. The likes of Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnite are commonly referred to as metaverses in their own major right.

Amop those, nearly 4 in 10 potential metaverse users visited Minecraft in the last month. A further 3 in 10 used Fortnite, while other services like The Sandbox, Horizon Worlds, Second Life, and Roblox, all attract a healthy number of visitors too. The latter is growing at a rapid pace, especially among kids, with a 28% increase in the number of 8-15 year old gamers playing it since this time last year. These kinds of services suggest that the metaverse concept will be heavily centered in gaming culture.