After Tuvalu “jumped” into the Metaverse to prevent the effects of climate change, theEuropean Union inaugurated its Metaverse, cost the beauty of around 400,000 Euros. Unfortunately, however, nobody showed up for the “ribbon cutting” of the Brussels platform.
The news is reported by the journalist Vince Chadwickwho explained on Twitter that he was invited to the inaugural EU Metaverse gala, only to find himself totally alone in the virtual room created by the European Union. Chadwick explained that “I’m here at the “gala” concert in the Metaverse paid for 387,000 Euros by the European Union. It has been designed to attract politically interested people between the ages of 18 and 35. After a puzzled chat with the other five guests in the room, I was left alone”.
The Metaverse of the EU is called Global Gateway and it was quietly launched in October. Only last week, more than a month after the opening, the European Union decided to organize a launch event to which the press and activists were invited. In the intention of the Union, the Metaverse should be one”shared digital space” where people can”come together and reflect on global issues to make a difference in our common future”.
View the very little participation in the first eveningHowever, the future of Global Gateway already seems to hang in the balance. However, it seems that the development of the project has also been rather troubled: some developers, speaking with Chadwick himself, have defined the realization of the Metaverse “depressing and embarrassing”describing it as “digital trash”. A long article about DevExalso written by Chadwick, collects numerous testimonies from people involved in the works and who were dissatisfied with the turn they have taken in recent times.
Given the troubled development and the lack of any form of promotion of the project, the outcome of the Global Gateway opening night seemed to be a foregone conclusion. The European Union, however, continues to believe that the Metaverse has “the ultimate aim of attracting young people via social media and encouraging them to participate actively, raising their awareness of what the EU does globally”.