Aron Meier's investigate the relationship between players and avatars, recontexualizing the very meaning of "skin", which has different connotations in IRL and in gaming lingo. He writes:
Before anyone even heard of the term metaverse, a group of people have long experienced first-hand what it means to live a second life online. Since years, gamers have inhabited and customised different skins in their game of choice. But what does this shape-shifting mean for their identity?
He asked five different Parisian gamers what gaming means to them, how they choose to express themselves virtually versus IRL and what they think about brands venturing into that space.
THE SKIN THEY PLAY IN is part of Morphose, "a digital magazine exploring the influence the Metaverse has on fashion, culture and identity" which "raises questions around inclusivity and accessibility in this new world, but also celebrates it as a playground and fuel for creativity and talent."
