It was only a matter of time before the idea of the metaverse would stop being a project of the big technology firms (Meta, Intel, Microsoft, Epic Games, Niantic, etc.) to reach the offices of government offices. Thus, it is not surprising that the government of Catalonia has launched its own metaverse called CatVers . But is this Catalan metaverse real? It is useful for something? Join us to discover it.
CatVers, the metaverse of Catalonia
CatVers or the Catalan metaverse, is a platform designed by the Blockchain Center of Catalonia that according to Jordi Puigneró, the vice president of the Government, represents the beginning of a “digital republic”. With it they intend to provide entrepreneurs, universities and brands with a virtual space to promote business interaction and business development . As part of the promotion of its launch, the platform is completely free and will become paid at the beginning of March.
Is the government of Catalonia a pioneer in the creation of virtual spaces? No
Now, it is important to clarify that the Catalans are not the first to have this idea. The Barbados government had already announced the opening of an embassy in the Decentraland metaverse , one of the best-known platforms in this sector. To support this idea, the Barbados ambassador to the United Arab Emirates has argued that it can save air travel. In this way, a virtual embassy can offer environmental advantages and in turn provide an unprecedented immersive experience.
Likewise, last year the Metaverse Seoul was announced, the virtual world of the South Korean government with which they intend to redefine the provision of public services through an innovative virtual administration platform. The idea of the Asian country goes far beyond having a space with a business or public relations focus. This metaverse of South Korea contemplates five stages and has an investment cost of 3.3 million dollars. Each stage aims to address different sectors of the country’s public administration such as education, tourism, economy , etc.
Was it the right time for Catalonia to announce its own metaverse?
To make the Catalan metaverse a reality, the Government has earmarked around 400,000 euros for the creation of this virtual space. Was it time to make this investment? Everything seems to indicate no. Although today everyone is interested in the metaverse, the reality is that this idea is still in very early stages of development . The metaverse is still far from being possible for the greats of the world of technology like Facebook, and much more so for a government.
Catvers the Catalan metavers.
The metaverses are a set of three-dimensional virtual monsters, interconnected https://t.co/329bphdv8j– Eixis (@EixisInfo) January 16, 2022
Since the announcement of CatVers, much controversy has been generated in Catalonia. For many, the government has hastily opted for this project, taking into account that the Catalans have not yet solved the digitization of small and medium-sized companies . In addition, there is a significant deficit of startups and technology companies in Catalonia, which are essential for the development of this metaverse.
Another thing to consider is that, although society is showing significant interest in new virtual spaces, users of technologies such as augmented and virtual reality continue to be a small niche . However, this is very likely to change in the coming years. In the future, the metaverse will be a reality and those who have bet early on this idea will benefit in the long term… Will it be the government of Catalonia?
Is Catalonia prepared to guarantee the security of its metaverse?
To the great variety of doubts that arise regarding the metaverse of Catalonia, we must add the issue of security. This is important considering that CatVers has a business focus. Currently, there are few laws that regulate virtual spaces such as metaverses . This legal vacuum could compromise the security of the Catalan metaverse.
We recently broke the news that a woman reported being harassed in the Facebook metaverse, proving that even Meta (who should be ahead of the pack when it comes to the metaverse) has trouble ensuring security , so probably the CatVers also have them. In addition, problems such as discrimination, harassment and hate messages on social networks have not yet been resolved and unfortunately, this can transcend the metaverses.
Is Catalonia trying to make the leap to the digital economy with its metaverse?
There is no doubt that the Catalan metaverse project is a response to the change that the modern economy has seen during the pandemic. Both companies and governments have had to evolve to adapt to a new digital market that requires a renewal of the economy in all its aspects.
At the press conference for the presentation of CatVers, the president of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Mònica Roca, stated that this project goes beyond creating simple virtual stores . With the metaverse, the government intends to speed up the digitization of Catalan companies. But is the Catalan metaverse ready to provide companies with the necessary tools to make the digital leap? Well, not for now. Many of those who have already tested the beta version of CatVers have stated that the platform is still in an early stage of development.
You have to give the CatVers time
Despite the fact that the Catalan metaverse is still in the beta phase, the government has not neglected making this project profitable. It has been proposed that CatVers have the ability to be monetized through fees that institutions, universities or companies will pay to have access to a part of this virtual space . Will someone pay to be in this Catalan metaverse? Perhaps today it does not seem like an attractive investment, but the final version of this platform may be more profitable for companies.
Just as the Catalan government’s commitment to a metaverse is hasty, it is also hasty to criticize this Catalan project. There are many companies that are currently investing large amounts of money in metaverses that no one has yet been able to materialize, much less make profitable . For now, we will have to wait a few years to find out how the Catalans have fared with their metaverse.
