The world is slowly making its transition to the metaverse. From the orientation process for new employees at tech firms to classrooms set up entirely in virtual realms, the metaverse is indeed making its presence felt across sectors. Even during the Covid-induced lockdowns, several couples decided to hold elaborate wedding events within the metaverse. 


As per P&S Intelligence data, the global metaverse market revenue crossed $58.5 billion in 2021. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 43.7 per cent, reaching a whopping $1,525.7 billion by 2030. 


Building on the various possibilities of virtual reality (VR), Delhi-based metaverse platform Graphity has decided to take things to the next level — by letting people date on the metaverse.



Why date in the metaverse?


First, let’s clarify what a metaverse is. To put it simply, the metaverse is a virtual universe where you can interact with other people (or rather, their virtual avatars). You can enter or exit a metaverse at will, and you can access it via VR headsets like Oculus, or simply from your Web browser. You can interact with other users in a virtual space, which can be designed to resemble anything from a rock concert arena and a cricket stadium to a corporate meeting room or a classroom. 
 
Formed nearly two years ago, Graphity first started exploring the whole “love in the metaverse” idea by organising metaverse marriages. Originally designed to be experienced via VR headsets, Graphity co-founder Piyush Aggarwal soon realised that to truly capture the Indian market, the platform needed to quickly move from VR headsets to simple Web-based experiences.


“VR headsets are just too costly,” Aggarwal told ABP Live. “If we really needed to connect with India’s tier-2 and tier-3 customers, we needed to move to a Web browser-based model that was easy to access via PC or mobile, and which wouldn’t take a great technical know-how to use.”


So, why the decision to get into metaverse dating specifically? Well, for starters, having already arranged several metaverse weddings (mostly for foreign clients), Graphity noted that there was genuine interest from users in experiencing the metaverse. “Surprisingly, we came across so many middle-aged users who found the whole idea of attending a virtual event, chatting with others, and even breaking out dance moves at virtual parties super fun,” noted Aggarwal. 


“At around October 2022, while chatting with my friends, I realised that none of us single men was really getting to meet someone via dating apps,” said Aggarwal. “While we would meet women on these apps and chat with them, we realised that they would be hesitant when it came to meeting people physically — primarily for safety reasons.”


“This got me thinking. Is there a way that we can let couples meet up virtually?” Aggarwal said. “This way, people can actually go on a virtual date, chat, and engage in fun games — without having to worry about physical safety.”


This is how Graphity decided to develop OnTheMoons, a virtual dating platform that can allow you to try and find love on the metaverse.


What will dating in the metaverse be like?


If you’ve played any mobile game, you may already have an idea of how OnTheMoons will work. 


To start things off, you will need to register with a valid email ID. “To avoid bot presence, we make sure that users upload a photo while registering, that won’t be made publicly available and will be kept just for records,” said Aggarwal.


Next, once you have created your ID, you will need to create your virtual avatar. Graphity has tied up with 3D avatar creator Ready Player Me to offer users hundreds of customization options for their avatars, from hairstyles to accessories like sunglasses or backpacks. 


So, users can create their avatar to look like themselves, a fancier version of themselves, or go completely off the path and create a character with the head of a kitten — whatever floats their boat. The user will also need to create a quick bio, where they can share what their interests are (just like Tinder or Bumble). 


Now, once all this is done, the user can browse through the profiles of other users, based on shared interests. Just like any other dating app, the user can click on a profile they like and ask to meet. 


Now, if the other profile accepts the invitation, a link will be shared with both users privately, which can be accessed via either a Web browser or even a VR headset. This link can be clicked on immediately, or within a period of two days (if the users wish to do so), before the link expires.


Before entering the metaverse, the users can choose the virtual arena where they wish to meet. This can range from anything between a romantic park by the Eiffel Tower or a bustling cricket stadium. 


Once the users click on the link, they will be able to access the metaverse. Just like any video game, the users will be able to move their avatars within the virtual map.


While moving around, the users can chat with the other user via text or voice, engage in games such as chess or Pictionary, and do further activities like dancing or singing. So, in a way, this would be just like any other date, except its all happening virtually in real-time on your Web browser (or a VR headset if you have one).


Each virtual dating session will last for two hours. After the session, if love blossoms between the users, they can choose to meet again virtually, or share their personal contacts to meet up in real life at their own discretion.


What about safety?


What if a girl feels uncomfortable even within the virtual arena? “In such cases, there’s a very visible EXIT button which the users can click on and exit immediately,” Aggarwal said. “We use peer-to-peer protocol for link sharing and online chats on our platform. This means that if someone exits a meet, the link expires, and there’d be no way for the other person to figure out how to connect with that person and stalk further.”


The links shared with the users are also unique to everyone — each user will get a different one. So, in a way, there is no way for the other to know the link details to enable cyberstalking and similar behaviour. 


Furthermore, none of the chats between the users is saved anywhere, including the cloud. So, whatever is shared between the two users will get deleted the moment the session expires.


How much does it cost to date in the metaverse?


For OnTheMoons, registration is free for the first 10,000 users. However, once they match and meet, users will need to pay Rs 150 per virtual dating session. 


Since OnTheMoons will be available via Web browsers, users can access the platform via the PC or mobile screens. If you also have a VR headset like an Oculus, you can use them as well for a more immersive experience. 


While most iterations of virtual experiences used to be VR-headset-based earlier, OnTheMoons’ decision to move to Web-based format can help it tap into the Indian population much more easily. The Oculus Quest 2 VR headset is currently priced at Rs 45,699, while the Oculus Rift S VR system is priced at Rs 73,990. 


“Interestingly, we have so far garnered 4,500 registrations on our waitlist and out of that, most users are from tier-2 and tier-3 cities,” Aggarwal noted.


Aggarwal added, “We’re also in talks with Ferns N Petals to enable users to send gifts to their significant others while being on virtual dates.”


OnTheMoons is (aptly) set to go official on Valentine’s Day, February 14. 


“There aren’t many homegrown platforms exploring metaverse dating in the country right now,” said Aggarwal. “Only Nevermet and Planet Theta are anyways the big players out there. We are hoping to see more and more users join OnTheMoons and we eventually wish to set it up a virtual social media platform.”