The metaverse really exploded in popularity after Facebook rebranded itself. Back then, you could see articles everywhere, including TIME making it their cover story. Now, in 2026, you can say that the concept has truly evolved, and tons of metaverse applications have emerged with pretty creative use cases.

I've noticed that several of these metaverse apps have established themselves as references. Take Axie Infinity, for example — it was really the PVP combat game that made a splash in 2021. People were earning money by playing, it was crazy at the time. Roblox, on the other hand, took a different approach — no blockchain, just a platform where creators could freely express their imagination. That allowed them to reach over 202 million monthly active users at one point.

Decentraland and The Sandbox also made an impact with their vision of virtual land. People bought LAND parcels as NFTs, with the idea of monetizing them. MANA, Decentraland’s token, experienced a spectacular rise — 700% by the end of 2021. It was a time when everything seemed possible in the metaverse.

But what really interests me is how these metaverse applications diversified their approaches. MOBOX combined gaming with yield farming, Zepeto focused on customizable 3D avatars, and The Sandbox let users create 3D structures without coding. It was truly a moment when each project was trying to find its niche.

There were also more niche projects — Mines of Dalarnia for dungeon exploration, Bloktopia with its concept of a 21-story virtual skyscraper (a nod to Bitcoin’s ceiling). Each metaverse app brought something different to the table.

Looking back, what’s interesting is seeing how the market matured. The initial hype has cooled down, but some of these metaverse applications remain relevant. The industry had to find a balance between innovation and real utility. Creators who bet on these platforms learned valuable lessons about what really works in virtual worlds.

It’s fascinating to see how the concept has evolved, from a futuristic promise to real experiences that people use daily. The metaverse didn’t become what some envisioned, but it found its place in the digital ecosystem.