Social metaverse may seem to be an exotic term to the public. Yet, currently, young people from Gen Z are already enjoying themselves in Soul Metaverse a social metaverse brought by Soul App. What SOUL aims at is to establish a virtual social networking space where people interact with each other with a renewed virtual identity and image. In this space, they may appear as personalized avatars, create their interest profiles, and connect with other like-minded friends.
For those who are fans of fiction, the metaverse is not an unfamiliar term. Decades ago, the science fiction Snow Crash envisioned a virtual space where humans appear as 3D avatars and interact with each other. Previously, advances in developing metaverse and introducing virtual reality were just concerns of high-tech companies and game lovers. Facebook’s decision to change its name to Meta brought rendered it a buzzword that soon attracted the attention of all industries. Some believe that the metaverse is a prototype of future human society, while some recognize it as the fruit of technology. There is no clear answer to the metaverse.
What remains common sense is that the social metaverse reveals the core value of the metaverse to some extent. As a virtual space where people inhabit, the metaverse can be a virtual society where social relations among people naturally emerge. The relationships in the metaverse are a virtual representation of the real world. Of course, high technology plays an essential part in bringing metaverse to reality. But what reveals the essence of the metaverse is its social attributes. Considering this, SOUL is leading the way in fostering a virtual society with its unique features.
Cultivating identity in a virtual world
Differentiated from human societies in the real world, the social metaverse is distinguished for its ability to cultivate personality. In SOUL, individuals may find many intriguing features that allow them to exhibit their personalities, among which the SOUL avatar is the most popular one. SOUL doesn’t support uploading personal portraits as profiles. Instead, it encourages its users to design their personalized avatars based on the templates it offers. In 2019, SOUL launched the “Super Cute Face” tool, which allowed users to customize their avatars. These avatars may vividly reflect their body language and facial expressions while displaying personal traits with virtual decorations. It is regarded as a combination of reality and virtual aesthetics and the first step into the virtual space.
In the social metaverse brought by SOUL, users enjoy the freedom of socializing in a virtual space with a new virtual identity while feeling proud of being soulers, a name for users in this app. With its AI-driven recommendation algorithm and interest profiling technologies, SOUL grants Gen Z a Neverland where they could find their unique identity and engage in conversation with those who share the same interest. Gen Z voices are valued in the SOUL. Data shows that SOUL currently holds an average MAU base of 31.6 million, of whom 59.4 percent are highly engaged for at least 15 days per month. Additionally, it’s predicted that SOUL users log into the app for an average of 45.3 minutes daily. This may tell the secret of SOUL’s appeal to younger users.
Fostering authentic connections among people
The inherent characteristics of social networking have determined that authentic connection is cherished in all relations, whether in the real world or virtual space. In the social metaverse brought by SOUL, young people aspire for emotional resonance through genuine connection rather than seeking personal influence. They are assured of a private space where they may be authentic and express their thoughts, reviving the original sense of comfort and closeness in interpersonal interactions.
SOUL’s mission is to unite every individual and enable heart-to-heart interaction of thoughts, feelings, and affections. To achieve this goal, SOUL put forward an interest-based mode of socializing. Before joining the planet of SOUL, users are invited to finish a series of personality tests, and then they are transmitted to numerous planets where they can meet people who share their ideas. With its AI-driven recommendation algorithm and interest profiling technologies, SOUL forged a social networking platform where genuine social relationships are fostered and users are guided to like-minded individuals.
A social metaverse is a virtual space where people can play games, have fun, or even learn. But most importantly, the social metaverse ought to be a place where people can engage with one another, foster the same sense of recognition, and find their true identity. SOUL has emerged to meet the trend of the social metaverse and it has now become an intelligent, vibrant, and rich virtual networking platform. In the future, SOUL will continue to explore the social metaverse with a younger generation and open the next digital era of social life with Gen Z together.
