No VR, No Problem: How to Enter the Metaverse Without a Headset

The Metaverse is a relatively new (and confusing) place. It can also get expensive when you factor in the VR headset you use to access these virtual worlds (not to mention the computer you need to power it all). However, if you really want to step into the metaverse but feel overwhelmed by the asking price, you can enter without busting a headgear paycheck.

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HTC Vive Pro 2 (Image credit: Molly Flores)

In short, no. By definition, the metaverse is any virtual space in which users interact within a computer-generated environment. This allows VR and the metaverse to come together for an enhanced experience, but having both is not required. There are many different virtual worlds, and many of them are accessible directly from your computer.

You might think if you just control an avatar on the screen, without virtual reality, it will be just like The Sims. While The Sims shares many similarities with the Metaverse, it’s not a connected online world, which is the main difference.

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Valve Index VR kit (Image credit: Molly Flores)

What is the difference between using a VR headset and not? When you enter the metaverse with VR, you wear a headgear that blocks your view of the real world, giving you full immersion in the world shown on the headset screen. The virtual world feels like it’s real in front of you, and the controllers you hold in each hand are used to interact with objects and control your avatar.

If you go without a headset, the visual aspects are much less immersive. You navigate the digital world from a computer, and while you can guide your avatar, you won’t fully ‘transform’ it like you would with a headset. You can still do many of the same things, but the difference is more separation between you and the world, and less immersive controls.

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VRChat (Image credit: Steam)

VR headsets typically cost several hundred dollars, so the Metaverse can be an expensive hobby if you give it your all. The benefit of a slow start is that you get a feel for what the metaverse entails. Here are some of the virtual worlds you can enjoy without a headset.

• Axe Infinity(Opens in a new window): Fans of cryptocurrency (especially Ethereum) and NFTs might gravitate toward a Metaverse experience like Axie Infinity, a game where players collect and mint NFTs that are digital pets (axies) that can be battled and bred with each other within the game.

• Fourteen days(Opens in a new window): While Fortnite is largely an online gaming platform, other Metaverse features have been added over time, such as in-game avatars during events.

• Minecraft(Opens in a new window): Minecraft is a sandbox game that lets players explore a world, mine resources, build structures, and make whatever they want out of it. Minecraft is different because it allows each player to build their own Metaverse instead of all players interacting together in one place. However, you can still play online with friends.

• Roblox(Opens in a new window): Roblox is a gaming platform and game creation system. Players can design their own games and also play games created by others. The title features an in-game currency system that players use to make in-game purchases (and earn real money). It is very popular, especially with children.

• The sandbox(Opens in a new window). Another game that features Ethereum, The Sandbox allows you to build anything you want in the sandbox of the world. There is no ultimate goal to work toward; Instead, players build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences.

• VRChat(Opens in a new window): With VRChat, you can use your avatars to talk to other people, play games together, and interact with the larger community. Think back to the chat rooms of the 90’s, but now it’s not just words on a screen, it’s avatars looking at each other and talking out loud.

For those just getting started with the metaverse, titles like Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft might be the best places to start. If you’re not a big gamer, VRChat can help you focus more on the social aspect; virtual clothing has also become very popular.