A Metaverse Maturity Model

Abstract

Both science and economy require tools to assess the development status of the Metaverse and the virtual 23 worlds comprising it. The former have to identify gaps in research and development to create a roadmap. The 24 latter needs to identify promising development approaches and comparatively mature virtual worlds to make 25 successful investments. 26 This study aims at addressing this need by presenting a maturity model for the assessment of virtual worlds. 27 Based on a scientific definition of the Metaverse [5], eight core attributes are identified, which would make a 28 complete Metaverse. For each of these core attributes, five maturity levels (ML) are defined. 29 The Metaverse core attributes derived from the definition are presented in Section 2. Each of the core attributes 30 is explained in Section 3, which includes a depiction of the corresponding five maturity levels, too. Thus, the 31 complete maturity model can be presented in Section 4, and in Section 5, the results of an exemplary application 32 to the virtual world Decentraland are explained. Finally, a discussion is included in Section 6. The following definition of Metaverse will be analyzed in order to identify core attributes making a complete The notion that many virtual worlds make the Metaverse indicates that virtual worlds should be the object of 40 maturity assessments.

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The text passages of the definition translate into Metaverse core attributes as depicted in Table ??.

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This Section will explain the eight Metaverse core attributes and the corresponding maturity levels. Persistence means that the state of the virtual world is maintained indefinitely if it is not changed by a user.

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Specifically, this means that there are no pauses, restarts, or even an end [6]. For the persistence of a virtual 52 platform, it is essential that the user always has access and that entering or leaving has no influence on the virtual 53 world. 54 A virtual world on maturity level 1 would not be persistent. It could be turn-based and have frequent resets.

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ML 2 requires a VW to be accessible at almost all times, with planned resets or updates taking place sometimes.

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On ML 3, the VW has sometimes resets or needs to halt for updates. ML 4 means the platform is in general 57 persistent with rare exceptions. ML 5 would mean a fully persistent virtual world.   The number of users, who can simultaneously use a virtual world, will measure scalability in this context.

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This is meant without splitting the virtual world into different instances in order to limit the number of users 74 per instance. The relation between maturity levels and number of users can be seen in Table ??.

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This core attribute relates to interfaces connecting the virtual and physical world. Important aspects are the 77 means for users to control their avatars and to experience the virtual world. In addition, many other interfaces 78 can be taken into account, which connect and mirror physical objects to virtual objects in line with the idea of 79 digital twins [9], or connections of the economic systems in the virtual and physical world, e. g., virtual currencies 80 that can be exchanged to fiat currencies of the physical world.

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The five maturity levels related to physical and digital coexistence correspond to the number of available  While the last core attribute is related to interfaces between the physical and virtual worlds, interoperability 89 refers to interfaces between the virtual worlds constituting the Metaverse. This is about the ability to exchange 90 data between different VWs, enabling, for example the use of one avatar with its accessories in many or even 91 all virtual worlds or trading virtual assets between virtual worlds. Interoperability is an essential precondition 92 forming one Metaverse consisting of many virtual worlds [2].

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The maturity levels for this core attribute relate mainly to the number of transferable components and the 94 number of interconnected virtual worlds. ML 1 describes a virtual world without any interfaces to other VWs.

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A virtual world with ML 2 regarding interoperability has interfaces to make one component transferable, e. g. 96 avatars or assets. ML 3 requires interfaces for several components, and ML 4 means that VWs have interfaces to 97 transfer relevant components but might not be connected to all VWs in the Metaverse. This might be the case 98 when concurring systems or interface standards evolve. On ML 5, finally, there is full interoperability between 99 all virtual worlds. 100 9 f) User-generated Content (UGC) 101 Even the technologically most advanced virtual world needs to have attractive content to attract users. Such 102 content could, for example be games, events, exhibitions, concerts, and many more. But, also assets, avatar-skins, 103 architecture etc. could be seen as relevant content [9]. No single company will be able to compete against a 104 platform that allows its users to create content and shape the virtual world.

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Maturity level 1, in this regard is a VW that does not allow UGC. On ML 2 users have minimal possibility 106 to change the virtual world with UGC still not being in the vendor´s strategic focus. ML 3 refers to a world 107 where users can create content, and this plays an important role. ML 4 refers to the situation in which UGC is 108 possible in a large variety and complexity, and where the monetization of UGC is directly possible in the VW. 109 ML 5 means that the users actually create the VW building on a given base environment. Every aspect of UGC 110 can be monetized. A fully functioning economy will be an essential aspect of the Metaverse [10]. This is true as it is the precondition 113 to incentivize the users to create content [11] and to drive investments into a virtual world. Such an economy 114 requires elements like, for example a virtual currency, marketplaces, or ownership registries for assets or land.

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Regarding economy maturity, level 1 means that the VW has no economy. In-app or in-game purchases might 116 be possible. A virtual world reaches ML 2 by having aspects of a virtual economy, including a virtual currency.

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Fiat money can be exchanged into the virtual currency. ML 3 requires an economy with selfregulating markets.  Immersive realism is the degree to which a user feels to be drawn into the virtual world. This has aspects related 123 to content, experiences, and interactions in a VW similar to a book or a movie. In addition, there are technical 124 aspects to serve human sensors with optical, acoustic and haptic information [3]. With respect to this core 125 attribute, the latter are evaluated to determine the maturity level, as they can be analyzed more objectively.  Table ??. 137 For the visualization of assessment results, radar charts are proposed. They are appropriate for multivariate 138 data with more than three variables which correspond to the core attributes [12].   world. This leads to the core attribute synchronicity being on ML 4.

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As outlined in the previous paragraph, the number of users per island is limited. The maximum is 100 users 158 per island [17]. As can be seen from Table ??, the corresponding maturity level for scalability is 2.

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At the time of this study, Decentraland can be accessed via a web and a desktop client only [18]. VR headsets 160 are not supported natively, nor other user interfaces. There is an in-world currency, MANA which can be used 161 to trade assets or land in the virtual world, for example. As MANA can also be exchanged into fiat currencies, e. 162 g. US dollar, it has an impact on the physical world, too [19]. This leads the core attribute physical and digital 163 coexistence to be evaluated to ML 2.

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As explained in Section 2.E to reach ML 2 regarding interoperability a virtual world would need to have 165 interfaces to make at least one component, e. g. avatars, assets, or wearables, transferable to other virtual 166 worlds. As this is not the case with Decentraland, its interoperability ML is 1.  Therefore, the attribute user-generated content is on maturity level 4.  The last remaining core attribute to assess is immersive realism. As can be seen from Figure 1, the visualization 178 of Decentraland is rather in a comic style than realistic. Due to the user-generated content, the environment is   Decentraland. 197 In the previous paragraph, it was pointed out that Decentraland reaches high maturity ratings in core attributes 198 that depend mainly on strategic decisions by the governing entity rather than technology. This implies that 199 Decentralands' strategy is to implement a virtual world in line with the Metaverse vision. Up to 10 2 Up to 250 3 Up to 1000 4 Up to 10,000 5 No limit Figure 3: