metaworld

Metaworld is a term used in discussions of virtual environments to describe a higher-level construct that encompasses multiple interconnected virtual worlds or environments within a single, cohesive space. It is often described as the meta-layer above individual worlds, enabling cross-world navigation, shared identities, and interoperable assets across distinct digital environments.

In practice, metaworlds are envisioned as platforms or architectures that link diverse experiences—gaming, social spaces, education, and work—through common standards, APIs, and economy systems. Key features may include avatar portability, cross-world billing, single sign-on, and cross-platform asset ownership.

Development and discussion: The idea has emerged from broader metaverse discourse, which envisions immersive, persistent digital spaces. Metaworlds emphasize interoperability and governance to address fragmentation among separate virtual environment ecosystems. Challenges include technical interoperability, standardization, privacy, security, and governance of digital assets and identity.

Relation to metaverse: While the metaverse is often described as a single, persistent virtual universe, a metaworld focuses on the connective tissue that bridges multiple worlds, potentially functioning as a network of interoperable experiences within or alongside a metaverse.

See also: Metaverse, virtual world, interoperability, avatar, digital asset, cross-platform.