Those spreading the gospel of the metaverse in gaming have their work cut out for them converting skeptics into believers, according to a new Globant/YouGov survey. Only 16% of gamers have purchased an NFT, and just 38% interested in playing a metaverse-based game. If there is a silver lining for metaverse proponents, it’s that gamers are open to further monetization – just not the baggage that comes with the likes of crypto and NFTs.


What’s in a Name
Facebook’s rebrand to Meta clearly did wonders.

• 73% of gamers associate Meta/Facebook with the Metaverse
• 27% for Epic Games & Fortnite
• 21% for Roblox

Not Buying the Hype

• Only 40% say the amount of buzz around the metaverse in gaming is warranted, with 30% unsure or undecided
• A slim majority think the metaverse will change the gaming industry
  • The majority don’t think that change will be positive

It’s a Young Man’s Game
Across the board, males and younger gamers are more interested in the intersection of the metaverse and gaming. While good news in the sense that it gives companies an idea of their target demographic, it’s also coming at a time when gamers are increasingly not young males.I Know It When I See it
Confidence clearly isn’t an issue with the majority (60%) of gamers confident they can define the metaverse, despite the lack of a universally accepted definition.


Missing Out on Mobile
It’s worth noting that the survey screened out mobile-only gamers. This is probably padding the numbers in favor of the metaverse, given many mobile-only gamers may be “more casual.”


A Spoonful of Sugar
If gamers aren’t enthused about metaverse-based gaming, companies may be able to make it more palatable by just making good hardware and games. 53% of players are interested in “working” inside gaming platforms to earn currency and 40% are interested in the “playing” and “earning” aspects of the metaverse. In other words, gamers are willing to go along with the metaverse if they feel it’s worth their time and the main selling point of a purchase remains the game or computer or console.