Explore Virtual Worlds - event series

The Explore Virtual Worlds Event Series investigates how metaverse technologies like VR, AR, and digital platforms can complement or surpass traditional ways of working and learning. We explore opportunities together with our network to pinpoint technical limitations and the evolving definition of the metaverse, we also examine how these technologies can transform industries, enhance collaboration, and create new possibilities for shared experiences.

What is a virtual world?

What is a metaverse/a virtual world? What is our definition? Metaverses are immersive, digital ecosystems where users can interact, create, work, and learn beyond the limits of physical space. A metaverse is not defined by any single technology but is instead an interconnected environment leveraging tools such as VR, AR, and digital platforms. These worlds are dynamic, evolving spaces where collaboration, innovation, and shared experiences thrive across various sectors, from education and gaming to architecture and healthcare.

The applications shown here represent the existing metaverse platforms that Visual Arena is closely monitoring and following. However, new metaverse applications are emerging every day, and we encourage our network to contact us if something is missing.

Together, we are part of this ever-growing technological evolution, continuously shaping and defining the future of the metaverse.

Event 1

Virtual worlds of art 

Platforms and tools: Spatial, Tilt brush, Sculpt VR, PatchWorld and zoom.

In this session we explored how virtual worlds can foster creative collaboration and whether they could ever surpass physical environments. We also dipped our toes in exploring the untapped potential of these spaces—not just as tools, but as entirely new ecosystems for creativity. The participants worked in groups to create artistic works such as sculptures, music, and paintings and then uploaded these creations to the Spatial world. Later, we discussed our experience and made som more educated guesses about our potential digital future. 

Key learnings and results 

So can creating art together in virtual worlds replace traditional physical environments?

 No, we are not there yet. Creative tools are powerful, but the experience is still limited by technical challenges. Integration challanges Uploading and integrating artwork into the virtual platforms was both time-consuming and overly complicated. This slowed the creative process and frustrated participants, emphasizing the need for more streamlined and user-friendly workflows.

The integration between web users and VR participants proved clunky and uneven. Web users felt disconnected from the immersive experience, and collaboration across platforms was hindered by the lack of smooth interaction between the two environments. Lag, crashes, and performance problems remained an obstacle, highlighting the gap between virtual worlds potential and its current reliability.

The users own experience was also vital in determening the value of the experience. We quickly picked up the self proclaimed identities of "gamer" and "non-gamer" from the participants. 
 

Can VR unlock creative possibilities beyond physical limits?
VR let participants create on impressive scales and experiment with new forms of expression, opening doors to possibilities not feasible in the physical world. 
 

Do technical issues still limit VR’s scalability and satisfaction? 
Lag, crashes, and performance problems remained an obstacle, highlighting the gap between VR’s potential and its current reliability. 
 

Does immersion foster deeper connections? 
The immersive nature of VR encouraged meaningful collaboration and engagement, offering a glimpse of the transformative experiences these tools could one day provide. 
 

Summary 

We’re making progress, but seamless collaboration requires more intuitive tools and fewer technical barriers.

Event 2

Virtual worlds within education

Platforms and tools
ENGAGE, Zoom, MathVR, Chemistry Lab, Fysik 1, National geopgrahpic, Space atlas, Mondly VR, VäXr, 

In this session, we explored how virtual worlds could enhance education by improving teaching, collaboration, and learning. Participants stepped into immersive classrooms, virtual labs, and collaborative simulations to test how these technologies might reimagine the traditional learning environment. Unlike the previous session, which focused on artistic creativity, this event centered on structured educational goals, revealing both exciting possibilities and persistent challenges.

Key learnings and results

Can teaching in virtual worlds surpass physical classrooms?

No, we’re not there yet.

While VR tools open exciting possibilities for educational applications, limitations such as technical barriers, accessibility issues, and clunky integration still hold back their full potential.
 

Integration challenges

Just like in the first session, the integration between web and VR users proved uneven.

Web users: Felt disconnected from the immersive experience and struggled with navigation.

VR users: Enjoyed greater immersion but faced issues with clunky menus, lag, and technical reliability.

Uploading and managing content for the virtual classroom was just as time-consuming and complicated as integrating artwork during the first event. Participants highlighted the need for more intuitive workflows.
 

Do user experiences still shape outcomes?

Yes, just like in Event 1, participant experience levels significantly influenced their ability to engage.

Self-proclaimed "gamers" adapted more quickly to controls and tools.
Non-gamers struggled with navigation and felt limited in their ability to interact effectively, whether in VR or on the web.
 

Comparing to Event 1: Virtual worlds of art

What remained the same?

Integration issues: Both events showed that web and VR platforms fail to provide a seamless, shared experience, leaving web users feeling disconnected.

Technical barriers: Lag, crashes, and the time-consuming process of content uploads remain significant challenges.

The gamer/non-gamer divide: Once again, gamers had an easier time navigating and interacting, while non-gamers faced difficulties adapting.

What was different?

Purpose-driven design: While Event 1 explored creativity and artistic expression, Event 2 focused on education, showcasing how immersive tools can simplify complex subjects and foster collaboration.

VR immersion in learning: Event 2 highlighted VR’s potential to create emotional connections to learning material, something less apparent during the artistic session.

Accessibility through web tools: For education, the web’s accessibility became even more critical, as classrooms need scalable and inclusive solutions to reach all students.
 

Can VR unlock new possibilities for education?

Yes, VR has the power to create interactive virtual labs, collaborative simulations, and lessons that feel alive. Immersion can transform learning experiences and open doors to new ways of teaching and understanding.
 

Summary

Virtual worlds continue to show great potential, but seamless collaboration and accessible tools remain essential to success. Just as in the first session, we’re making progress, but more work is needed to bridge the gap between potential and practicality in education.

Event 3

Virtual worlds of gaming

In this session, we will explore how gaming and virtual worlds intersect with everyday life, diving into the ways gamers integrate their real-world routines with their in-game experiences. We’ll also discuss the growing communities of people who spend significant parts of their lives within these virtual worlds and what that might mean for the future—will this become the norm for everyone? By testing both VR and web platforms, we aim to uncover the evolving relationship between gaming, community, and identity, while examining the potential of these spaces to shape social and cultural interactions.

Key learnings and results

Can virtual economies reshape digital ownership?

Yes, but with significant considerations.

- The revenue from digital asset creation and sales surpasses the GDP of multiple small countries.

- A single parcel of virtual land in The Sandbox sold for over 38 million SEK, showcasing the speculative value of digital ownership.

- Ownership of digital assets extends beyond gaming, influencing industries such as fashion, education, and real estate.

- The complexity of managing and trading digital assets highlights the need for streamlined processes and secure transaction systems.

What’s next for virtual economies?

- Further development is needed to ensure secure, accessible, and user-friendly ownership models.

- Emerging technologies such as blockchain and decentralized marketplaces could enhance transparency and trust in digital transactions.

- Virtual economies are poised to extend beyond gaming, influencing business models, remote collaboration, and digital identity.
 

Summary

Virtual economies present groundbreaking opportunities, but widespread adoption depends on overcoming accessibility and technical barriers. As we continue this series, we will explore how these economies can shape the future of work, education, and digital identity.

Event 4

This session gave us the clearest picture so far of where XR and virtual worlds are most valuable in business. Through live polls, discussions, and collective mapping, we identified and categorized high- and low-relevance use cases across industries.

Most impactful use cases included:

• Safety training in high-risk environments
• Muscle memory and embodied learning
• 3D collaboration for design, engineering, and spatial workflows

These stood out as areas where XR and virtual worlds clearly outperform traditional tools, offering immersive experiences that build competence and confidence in ways flat screens cannot.

On the other hand, use cases such as one-to-one coaching, traditional conferences, or administrative tasks were rated as lower priority — either due to limited added value or the availability of simpler alternatives.

Sector Priorities

Participants were invited to quickly select the most relevant topics for their sector. This revealed both clear overlaps and unique focus areas:

• Artists prioritized immersive storytelling, followed by use cases and XR events and venues
• Academia focused on use cases, educational resources, and academic research
• Private sector selected use cases first, then XR events and venues, followed by funding and support
• Public sector showed similar interests to the private sector, with emphasis on use cases, events, networking, and storytelling

Participants also suggested new areas of interest such as XR in libraries, mobile innovation labs, immersive installations, and improved access to content and funding.

Who Joined the Event

This session attracted a broad mix of sectors and experience levels. A majority of attendees identified as experienced XR users, including strategic users, XR ambassadors, and insight-driven observers. Only a small number were entirely new to the field.

The majority represented private business, followed by academic institutions and a smaller number from the public sector — confirming a growing interest in XR across commercial environments.

Connection to XR Sweden

This event helped us better understand where XR technology and virtual worlds are gaining traction across Sweden’s industries. The insights feed directly into the development of XR Sweden’s national platform, which aims to connect communities, sectors, and innovators.

We now have a clearer view of which sectors are ready to implement immersive technologies, what content they need, and which use cases show the strongest long-term value.

About the Series

Explore Virtual Worlds is a five-part series investigating how immersive platforms are transforming the ways we meet, collaborate, and create value — spanning art, education, business, and beyond. Each session brings together experts, participants, and interactive experiences to prototype the future of virtual interaction.

Event 5

Virtual Worlds of What Comes Next
Platforms and tools: Pen and paper

In this final session of Explore Virtual Worlds, we bring together everything we’ve learned throughout the series to design what comes next for immersive platforms.

Over the past sessions, we’ve built 3D models, created artistic metaverses, explored how XR is reshaping education, debated ownership and digital assets, and identified the strongest business use cases for virtual worlds. Now, it’s time to connect the dots.

The afternoon begins with key insights from earlier sessions, followed by reflections from leading voices in XR and virtual world development. You’ll hear why — or why not — they believe in the future of virtual worlds as powerful spaces for collaboration, creativity, and meaningful interaction.

Then, you’ll take part in a hands-on design sprint where you’ll work with others to prototype new virtual world concepts. These will combine real business needs with core human motivations — and explore how virtual worlds can connect to XR Sweden’s broader vision of a more inclusive and interoperable national XR ecosystem.

Key learnings and results

Can we create virtual worlds that matter?

[To be determined]
We will explore how to design immersive environments that are both meaningful and functional — and whether virtual worlds can meet the emotional, social, and practical needs of users across sectors.

Which use cases have the most impact?

[To be determined]
We’ve identified several high-impact XR use cases — like safety training, 3D collaboration, and embodied learning — and will explore how these can be translated into world concepts that are scalable and purposeful.

What are the barriers to integration?

[To be determined]
As we begin to build across platforms, we’ll surface the real-world challenges of interoperability — both technical and cultural — and what’s needed to create a seamless, connected ecosystem.

How do virtual worlds fit into XR Sweden?

[To be determined]
This session will explore how virtual worlds complement other XR formats and how they can support XR Sweden’s national platform goals around collaboration, innovation, and shared infrastructure.

Summary

In this closing session, we will turn insights into action. Through expert input and collaborative worldbuilding, we will co-create concepts that reflect what we want the metaverse to be — inclusive, useful, and future-ready. This session marks the final step in a year-long journey through immersive platforms, and offers a space to design what comes next for virtual worlds in Sweden and beyond.