Every new technology creates new career opportunities, and the metaverse will introduce new types of jobs as well. Driven by gamification and digital goods, users will find specializations that others deem useful. As a result the gig economy will find its way into virtual worlds, and people will have jobs and side hustles inside the metaverse.
It’s not hard to imagine that the rise of the metaverse will bring new job opportunities to the table. The internet and web 2.0 already brought us content creators, web designers, coders, community managers, moderators, and the list goes on. Thanks to the internet we have services like Takeaway, Uber, and Spotify. In Web3 and the metaverse we can already see new jobs coming into existence.
Jobs in the metaverse
- Farmers and gatherers
- Breeders and crafters
- Curators and guides
- Landlords
- Builders
- Avatar designers
- Fashion designers
Web3 brings user empowerment
The introduction of Web3 brings a new era where digital assets are verifiable and scarce, while users have real ownership over them. Think about cryptocurrencies and NFTs, which are digital tokens stored in a personal wallet. The digital innovation gives rise to the idea of the metaverse.
Virtual worlds are nothing new, Active Worlds has been around since the mid-nineties. However, Web3 gives true ownership to users by tokenizing everything. Users own their avatars as unique NFTs, there can be digital fashion and perhaps users buy a piece of land to build a social hangout. Amidst the latest trend of subscription fees, downloadable content and licensing digital goods, having the ability to actually own a digital asset feels liberating to believers in the metaverse.
Within this new digital space where players can move their account from one world to another, jobs will rise. As a matter of fact, these jobs already exist. Some of these jobs influence many corners of the metaverse, while others are tailored to a specific corner or game world.
1. Farmers and gatherers
Everybody who has played an MMORPG in the past two decades, knows about the grind to gather herbs, gold or other resources. These activities will become jobs for some players, as others are too lazy to do so. We’ve already seen this in legacy MMOs like Everquest, LineAge and World of Warcraft, and nowadays we see players farm SLP in Axie Infinity. Gathering resources so you can sell them to other players for a profit, this will become one of the most common jobs in the gaming side of the metaverse.
2. Breeders and crafters
The next step in the production process of game items, would be the breeder of crafter. These players acquire resources from the farmers and gatherers to make items for other players. In the case of Axie Infinity they acquire SLP to breed new Axies, while in upcoming MMORPGs like Mirandus and Ember Sword they acquire resources to make potions, weapons or other game items.
3. Curators and guides
Not everybody knows everything about a certain topic, but some know more than others. That’s why gallery curators or event guides will likely become a thing. Those who organize virtual events will need people to guide visitors and curate available content. This goes up for virtual events in Somnium Space and Cryptovoxels, but to an extent also to MMORPGs. For years we’ve seen high level players giving newcomers a boost in exchange for an in-game payment. Knowledge and experience is valuable, and that will also be the case in the metaverse.
4. Landlords
Players who own lots of land in one or more virtual worlds, will not find the time to populate those lands. Instead they can rent out their land to other users. Samsung opened a virtual store in Decentraland, but their presence is more akin to a pop-up store: renting the space from an existing land investor.
Virtual land and ownership over land parcels through NFTs is one of the major shifts on how community ownership will shape virtual worlds. Depending on the use case of the world, players can use their land in various ways. In Decentraland and Cryptovoxels they can host events, build virtual homes or galleries. In The Sandbox they can host games, while land in game worlds like Mirandus, Ember Sword and The Walking Dead Empires have functionality within the setting and gameplay functionalities of that world. Owning land can be fun, owning lots of land can become a hassle. That’s why landowners can become a landlord, and rent out their land to other users in exchange for a flat fee or revenue share.
5. Builders
Technically everybody can buy a virtual home, because that’s the easiest part. However, after purchasing land users will need to build something. Like any creative craft, builders require serious design skills in order to create a virtual home that stands out. Within the Minecraft community there are plenty of builders, and many got interested in NFT Worlds. At the same time Voxel Architects is a group of designers that have made some of the most iconic buildings in Cryptovoxels and Decentraland. Demand for talented builders will increase as more virtual worlds open up and brands move into the metaverse.
6. Avatar designers
The avatar is an extension of the user’s individuality. Judging by the increased need for a digital presence through social media, it only makes sense to see a similar thing happen in the metaverse. Avatar designers could be the next rock stars. Players will value their avatar, and they will want a character that fits their personality. Users could ask a designer to make a custom avatar, for example through Crypto Avatars. Or they could buy into metaverse enabled NFT collections. It’s not without reason that Justin Bieber overpaid tremendously for the Bored Ape NFT he wanted. Having an avatar that resonates with you will be important.
7. Fashion designers
Depending on the virtual world you’re using, characters can also swap their clothing. Decentraland and Cryptovoxels allow this for example. Users can customize their character with all kinds of absurd designs and outfits. Digital fashion already has a place in the metaverse, but at the moment it’s still very niche. However, there’s no doubt that this market will grow. Everybody working in fashion design right now should dip their toes into this space. Web3 native organizations like Digitalax and The Fabricant are building already, while Nike recently acquired digital fashion house RTFKT.
With these 7 jobs in the metaverse we’ve only looked at jobs that directly influence the experience of the virtual world. However, looking at web3 as a whole there’s a whole lot more out there. Think about users active in DeFi, a crucial element for those who have jobs in Web3. Or think about being a member of a DAO or a guild, influencing the direction of a wider community or a digital nation. Web3, the metaverse, will bring a plethora of new jobs into our lives. Which one would be your favorite? Let us know, join DappRadar on Discord!
