Many of the leading metaverse platforms recognized in 2024 continue to be relevant for 2025, but the metaverse landscape is evolving, and businesses need to keep an eye on new entrants. This year, we categorized the metaverse platforms—also known as spatial computing platforms—by type. Drawing on published studies, expert interviews, and online articles, here are 13 platforms to monitor for 2025, presented in alphabetical order, with detailed descriptions to follow:
- ABB’s industrial metaverse platform.
- Apple Vision Pro.
- Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
- Fortnite.
- Honeywell.
- Hexagon’s HxDR digital reality platform.
- Meta Horizon suite (Horizon Worlds and Horizon Workrooms).
- Nvidia Omniverse.
- Roblox.
- Schneider Electric’s industrial metaverse platform.
- Siemens’ Immersive Engineering industrial metaverse platform.
- Spatial.
- Virbela.
The Shift from Metaverse to ‘Spatial Computing’
As emerging technologies reach maturity, the terminology evolves from complex phrases to simpler terms, noted Mike Bechtel, chief futurist at Deloitte Consulting. This transformation is evident in the terminology related to the metaverse. Instead of referencing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality, the phrase spatial computing now more accurately reflects the essence of the metaverse, according to Bechtel.
He further emphasized that spatial computing is about moving beyond headsets and gadgets, suggesting that our physical surroundings will become a canvas for digital experiences, rather than escaping to a separate metaverse.
AI as the New User Interface for Spatial Computing
The metaverse may still resemble a Wild West regarding data interoperability and integration, but Bechtel mentioned that this is gradually improving. “The direction is clear: AI will become the new user interface, which is quite a revolutionary concept,” he stated.
Deloitte’s 2024 Spatial Computing white paper predicts that the nature of work will transform as spatial computing becomes foundational. The report highlights the potential of spatial computing to blend physical and digital inputs into a unified interface, which could significantly alter work processes.
The firm anticipates that, within the next five years, spatial computing could penetrate all phases of the planning and production cycle—from product design to workforce training and beyond.
Incorporating spatial computing into business operations may introduce a “sixth sense” via neurotechnology, monitoring, analyzing, and adjusting the brain and nervous system. This will lead to multisensory digital experiences, establishing an “internet of senses” that seeks to emulate the five senses in a digital format, as noted in the white paper. “While these innovations can enhance accessibility, effectiveness, and communication, they necessitate new considerations surrounding digital equity,” the report emphasizes.
Gartner anticipates a surge in interest regarding the metaverse, identifying spatial computing as a leading trend for 2025. The firm predicts that spatial computing will escalate to $1.7 trillion by 2033, soaring from $110 billion in 2023.
Notable Metaverse Platforms for 2025
Below is a detailed list of vendor platforms, organized by category type.
Roblox, Fortnite, and the Meta Horizon Suite
Platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, and Meta Horizon (including Horizon Worlds and Horizon Workrooms) solidified their status in 2024 and continue to be reliable choices for 2025.
While Horizon Workrooms is designed for professional collaboration, Roblox and Fortnite are not aimed at enterprise use, according to Eric Abbruzzese, research director at ABI Research. However, Roblox is attempting to extend its reach into enterprise, though it faces challenges with brand compatibility and demonstrating significant value at scale.
Nvidia Omniverse
Abbruzzese characterizes Nvidia Omniverse as a “middle ground” between general metaverse platforms like Roblox and Fortnite and dedicated enterprise digitalization platforms that offer tools for content creation and cross-platform compatibility. These latter platforms are often associated with the industrial metaverse.
Other Industrial Metaverse Platforms
Specialized enterprise platforms targeting the industrial metaverse “are likely to experience the highest utilization” among companies, Abbruzzese asserts, emphasizing that these platforms don’t necessarily use the term metaverse. The following are included in this category:
- Siemens’ Immersive Engineering.
- Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE.
- Hexagon Digital Reality (HxDR).
- Schneider Electric.
- Honeywell.
- ABB.
According to Abbruzzese, these platforms are at various stages of digital platform development. Many are pursuing a combination of XR (extended reality) and data connectivity solutions, as enterprises increasingly adopt digital tools like IoT, digital twins, simulation, and lifecycle management. “A growing segment of these enterprises is integrating XR with these digital solutions, though their levels of XR adoption vary,” he added.
Apple Vision Pro
The Apple Vision Pro is primarily aimed at enterprise use cases focused on data visualization and office productivity. Abbruzzese mentioned that it is more geared toward developers than other platforms. “It ranks among the most feature-rich XR platforms,” he noted, but widespread adoption has been hindered by its high cost and limited access for users with disabilities. The platform’s capabilities would have encouraged greater uptake if there were more affordable hardware to develop for, he explained. “If a follow-up device emerges soon, it will hold a strong position for content development.”
Spatial
Previously focusing on immersive environments for enterprise collaboration, Spatial has shifted to user-generated content, according to Abbruzzese. The platform boasts a strong user base and specifically targets an older audience (21 and above).
Virbela
Virbela is regarded by Abbruzzese as “the most enterprise-centric of the collaboration vendors mentioned, and therefore has matured significantly in this segment.” It offers a “metaverse-as-a-service” platform with Frame, enhancing content creation and cross-platform collaboration.
The Role of Generative AI in the Metaverse
The last couple of years have witnessed a surge in “mass experimentation with generative AI,” Bechtel points out. Just as the web branched out into various applications serving specific needs, he anticipates that GenAI will similarly diversify into numerous “digital assistants, acting as computerized concierges with defined scopes and functions.”
Text-based agents are rapidly becoming common and will not only serve as gateways to 3D virtual experiences but will also integrate real-world applications online, according to Bechtel. “In the next three to five years, we will likely observe the transformation of text-based agents into visually oriented, spatially aware agents,” he predicted.
While we are still in early stages, it is expected that “GenAI and agentic AI will soon be integrated into almost every platform, particularly within the metaverse,” said Matilda Beinat, research analyst at ABI Research. “Its fundamental utility will lie in assisting developers, enhancing their work environments, and aiding software development,” she added.
Technological Advancements in Hardware: AI-Enhanced Headsets
Advancements in AI have significantly improved battery life and video quality in today’s headsets, according to Bechtel. He predicts a future shift from “bulky headsets to sleek glasses within the next 18 to 24 months.”
“This transition is poised to foster meaningful enterprise adoption, as using simpler, more elegant devices will be more appealing than managing multiple gadgets like phones, tablets, and laptops,” Bechtel observed.
Abbruzzese supports the notion that AI enhancements will extend to headsets. “Visual AI assistants will likely first be deployed on traditional devices like smartphones before eventually being introduced to XR gadgets,” he mentioned.
“In numerous cases, headsets might be the optimal hardware for visual AI—evident from interest in AI-driven smart glasses like Meta’s Ray-Ban,” he added. “However, general awareness and acceptance still lag behind more established devices like smartphones.”
Privacy and Security Challenges in the Metaverse
Currently, privacy and security issues in the metaverse are marked by uncertainty and the prospect of tighter regulations, according to Abbruzzese. “Some existing privacy practices from other domains are being adapted for the metaverse—age verification on social networks serves as a prime example—but dedicated discussions surrounding metaverse privacy are relatively scarce,” he remarked.
While major players like Meta may adopt existing privacy policies where applicable, they will aim to maximize data collection capabilities, he noted. “Data is where the current monetization lies, with minimal user-facing revenue models available.”
Beinat emphasized the emerging nature of the metaverse market, indicating that various technologies will have different privacy and security priorities based on their applications, impacting the headsets adopted for each scenario.
Business Challenges in Implementing AR/VR Technologies
The novel and fast-evolving nature of metaverse technologies presents multiple challenges for organizations. Bechtel remarked that interoperability between standards and platforms still requires refinement, resulting in hesitation to fully commit to a single vendor’s vision due to concerns about compatibility with future standards.
Cost remains a significant barrier, as adding new equipment for metaverse applications represents “a considerable budgetary challenge,” Bechtel explained. Additionally, businesses face hurdles in training and user adoption.
Taking Paramount Global as an example, the company implemented VR in its onboarding process, allowing new hires to explore virtual environments, including Paramount’s production lots, to engage them in key aspects of the company’s mission. “While this was an obvious advantage in understanding operations, integrating users with the necessary equipment is a more complex process compared to simply directing them to log in for a brief training session,” Bechtel commented.
However, Paramount is exploring the potential of VR to enhance leadership training, as highlighted in Deloitte’s “Tech Trends 2025” report.
Abbruzzese concurred that organizations must educate potential users on the benefits of their chosen metaverse platform. They should cultivate “internal platform advocates, such as product/project leaders with expert knowledge of the solution,” to facilitate smoother implementation.
The Engagement of Gen Alpha with the Metaverse at Work
Gen Alpha, recognized as the most technologically adept generation to date, is expected to be open to engaging with the metaverse in professional settings, according to Abbruzzese.
This generation also craves instant gratification and seamless digital experiences, as noted by Beinat.
“As they navigate platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram, this younger generation consistently gravitates toward short video content, leading to an expectation that design for platforms, games, and training tools within the metaverse will need to be fast, intuitive, and engaging,” she explained.
Esther Shein is a seasoned freelance writer specializing in technology and business. A former senior writer at eWeek, she produces news articles, features, case studies, and tailored content.
