Gamers say ‘No’ to advertising, cryptocurrency in the metaverse, new survey shows

As originally envisioned in Neal Stephenson’s novel Snow Crash, the metaverse combines virtual spaces with socialization and transactions. However, the metaverse wants to bring the element of monetisation fueled the power of cryptocurrency and advertisements. But, not many gamers want to see advertisements in the metaverse, revealed a new survey Globant.
According to the survey, over 35 per cent of respondents said they were comfortable with advertising in a metaverse space, while 25 per cent said they were undecided, and 40 per cent were uncomfortable.  The survey was conducted in May 2022 and includes responses from 1,000 adult PC, console, and/or mobile gamers in the United States.
The big question is: Does “free” make a difference in the metaverse? Maybe. Of those surveyed, just under half (44 per cent) would accept advertising in the metaverse if it provides free access to apps, games, or places

Users in the metaverse are also concerned with their privacy. The report notes that when questioned specifically about the tracking of the eye and head movements, nearly half (46 per cent) of respondents said they would feel uncomfortable with these measurements.
The Metaverse Awareness Survey detailed other findings focusing on play-to-earn games. According to the survey, about half of gamers are more interested in “playing” than “earning” within metaverse games, but a significant number of gamers see value in mixing playing and earning together.  But at least 49 per cent are more interested in playing, and only 11 per cent are more interested in earning. Nearly 40 per cent would like some mix of both playing and earning within metaverse games.
Just over half (52 per cent) of gamers believe the metaverse will change the video game industry and a plurality (41 per cent) think that the metaverse will have a positive impact on the industry (vs. 25 per cent who disagree). In fact, 40 per cent say the buzz around metaverse gaming is warranted, although nearly one-third (30 per cent) were undecided on that subject.
Meanwhile, the vast majority (81 per cent) of respondents have not purchased NFTs, with just 16 per cent saying they have done so.  Slightly more than one-third of respondents expressed interest in completing cryptocurrency transactions while nearly half were not interested. Men and 18-44 year-olds expressed higher levels of interest in these transactions.