Experts are also concerned that metaverses could be used as an 'escape' from reality in a similar fashion to existing internet technologies.
The first novel was released in 2011, with a 2018 , and in 2020.
Stephenson describes a of people choosing to remain continuously connected to the metaverse; they are given the sobriquet "" due to their grotesque appearance.
Ready Player One, 2011 is a science fiction franchise created by which depicts a shared VR landscape called "The OASIS".
In a January 2022 interview with Wired, Second Life creator described metaverses as a Internet that is populated with live people.
The franchise depicts the year 2045 as being gripped by an energy crisis and global warming, causing widespread social problems and economic stagnation.