The Metaverse

As a futurist, public speaker, writer, and entrepreneur who specializes in the entertainment industry the metaverse is an intriguing and fun topic to explore. My personal interests are and have always been the intersection of entertainment, technology, and business which all three categories are wrapped up in the metaverse concept. That said, the public is confused currently by what the metaverse is in OUR world as opposed to how it works in media today. Also who the real players might be, what it will actually look like especially early on.

There are 2 ways to think about metaverse; dystopian, or utopian.

There are 2 ways to think about metaverse; dystopian, or utopian. Ready Player One is a great example of a dystopian future where the real world offers little and so the only way to achieve a life of meaning is to explore the oasis. Utopian is the concept that the real world is fine, but the metaverse describes a society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its inhabitants. In other words, it adds value to an individual on top of what exists for a player in the real world, connected to a digital world. I do think this is what our version of the metaverse will look most like. Regardless of your views on the world today, I think we can all agree that it's easier, and better to live today than it was 100 years ago.

There are basic elements to what the metaverse is, and then there are ways to get there. For definition of what a metaverse actually is would be described to possess the following attributes:

1. Ability to enter and traverse a 3d world, or environment
2. Ability to buy things (to take ownership of them inside and outside the experience)
3. Ability to sell things (you own inside and outside the experience)
4. Ability to have a persistent identity (inside and outside the experience)
5. Ability to socialize with other users in the environment

At its core, to be considered metaverse, these 5 are musts as a basic determination. We are currently a long way off from these 5 abilities to allow interconnectedness, and a few more abilities must be added to allow for a true metaverse to happen.

6. Cross-platform ability

7. Ability to have seamless integration without breaking immersion

8. Ability to access privacy and safety

9. Ability to have real-world sized gatherings in digital space

10. Ability to achieve pure decentralization while having access to centralization

More Abilities will eventually have to be added as time goes on to make the metaverse a desirable space for all peoples to engage and enter into. For a definition, what we are really talking about here is not hardware. Metaverse is not hardware no matter what any company tries to push through marketing (IE. Meta). Although hardware can certainly enhance the experience of the Metaverse and make it more enjoyable. Metaverse is for now, software. What it may become, I don't know what is after software.. but I do believe something is next and coming.

Also worth noting that the Metaverse can be a combination of augmented reality, virtual reality, and what I will coin today as meta reality. What is the difference? When I worked with Xbox on the release, development, and launch of the concept of Mixed Reality, the concept is that an environment can become persistent between your real world, a virtual world, and also an augmented world. For example, you own a loveseat that sits in your bedroom in the middle of your room, this is obviously the real world. This same loveseat can be brought into the augmented world and now you can add a new texture to it, so now it's leather instead of cloth. In a virtual setting, your real-world loveseat is mapped in a virtual room and yet sits in the physical room. In Meta world, it is the idea that this loveseat even though mapped from a real-world object, is now leather from AR, is also leather in virtual worlds, can now exist in a meta world as a 3d model of this object which could be used in games, apps in your possession, and since its an object you own, even sold. Where it gets wilder, is that through blockchain applications of the future, all worlds mentioned above could be identities, or facets of the same piece of furniture - which when sold, transfer to a new owner outright; Real, Augmented, Virtual, and Meta world versions in one. It's not as crazy as it sounds, people have already bought and sold houses as NFTs. The broader application of NFTs allows for goods to be proven as authentic, especially when in the luxury goods category to lessen and deter knockoffs.

With the above in mind, I run a startup blockchain lab that consults with entities who desire to enter blockchain technologies, and metaverses which is called Super Chill. Shameless plug.

Not a lot of the current organizations of the world are prepared to get into the metaverse without simply acquiring others who figure it out.

Not a lot of the current organizations of the world are prepared to get into the metaverse without simply acquiring others who figure it out. The downside is this is often those structures are not in a position to adapt or adopt even after acquisition to be meaningful in many cases. As of today, I will list a few entities which appear to have strong priorities and/or the ability to enter the metaverse. It remains to be seen if they will be successful or able to be a top 10 contender.

1. Tencent. They have stakes in Epic Games, the developer of Unreal Engine, and Fortnite. Unreal Engine 5 has the potential with the use of AI to break down the barriers of entry to high graphics games, without the need for higher-end hardware. This is the future. This is the way. Tencent also has a long history of technology, data, and now blockchain companies investing over 70B into the space.
2. Meta. Meta owns Oculus (hardware), Meta Reality Labs (Software), which owns many VR-focused developers who are great, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, the list goes on. Combine this with Mark Z.'s desire to bring the internet to the entire earth called Internet.org, now just a part of Meta's initiatives.
3. Microsoft. Microsoft is one of the best-positioned organizations to tackle metaverse with one of the worst histories of capturing emerging technologies in trend. They often work behind the scenes in the shadows, at least the majority of their products do, and you can think of Microsoft as mostly "Platform builders" they built Windows, a platform, they own Skype, Azure, Xbox, Blizzard/Activision, Mojang (Minecraft), Bethesda, 343, and more and also tried to buy Discord at one point. Being that I worked at Microsoft Xbox, I think it would be cool if they can figure it out, but let go of highly skilled people like myself in this space cant be seen as a positive note of progress. Let me make it clear I am glad they did or Games For Love would not have been formed and helping more than 1 million children around the world right now, with thousands of children alive today that would not have been if GFL did not exist.
4. Disney. I am going to go guess that this is a surprise to most, at least from a mainstream standpoint for who should be named in the top 5. Why? Disney is actually a tech, data and hardware company, with an entertainment company as its face. Ever heard of the term "Imagineers" Yes? The creative folks behind some of live entertainment's most breakthrough technologies in their Disney parks for decades now involving emerging tech like making the floating islands of Pandora? Well, what if I told you, their take on transporting people into other universes is unparalleled, they have the best transferability of anyone to combine all worlds and IP into one single one, just look at Kingdom hearts, the power at work of connecting their universes and its only gotten stronger of late. Now let's look at all the factual stuff; They hired a big gun to lead metaverse strategies, own Disney Interactive Studios, owns a ton of heavyweight IP, tech companies like GoPro, a leading hardware manufacturer for consumer camera tech through steamboat ventures which could become a VR player if they wanted to - its a stretch, but totally possible, and what feels like so much more. Through their efforts in Disney Accelerator, they also own hardware makers like Spehero for robotics, and The VOID, an AR/VR platform to combine the real world, with the virtual world. They have played in this space for so long. Currently focusing on building real-world communities.
5. Sony. With a very long history in consumer electronics, they are known for their hardware. but also have some major market share in gaming via Playstation, PSVR, and via software companies, they own a lot. They, like Disney, own/license loads of meaningful IP including Spiderverse, Resident evil, Ghostbusters, Jumanji, Bond 007, and more, and also tons of companies. I think a compelling counterpart to Sony in the metaverse would be Disney which would make them THE top contender, and wouldn't be the first time they have worked together on billion-dollar projects. They could both benefit heavily from metaverse and non-metaverse projects universally. Sony and Disney certainly don't need to partner to be THE top contender, and likely we will see loads of collaboration across the board in multiple metaverses by all contenders on this list with everyone working together by some way.
6. Softbank. at first glance, you might write them off this list with the above major players already in full effect. If so, you would be wrong. Softbank is at it's core a holding co that focuses on investing in tech, energy, and financial sectors. Some of the notable companies they own, partner, or invest in as it relates to this space include; NVidia, Zepeto, and Sandbox. They are investors in the space and highly interested in it. They have already made numerous investments in the space directly. Their FAQ states that " Softbank focuses on the effect of AI on the creation of new industries and invests in companies around the world that have superior AI, business models." Metaverse is an extension or will be of AI. At the time of writing this, it doesn't appear as though Softbank would create any products as the above would, and think of them as the bank funding the war efforts of nations in the metaverse.

In the long run, I don't think any of these companies listed will be THE market leader in "the metaverse." I do think they will all be in the top 10. Similarly, with some strokes of luck, they could take the #1 spot. They each hold a very unique opportunity with buying power to own anything relevant that does come and become successful. I mean, offering a founder 1 billion dollars is sure to sway the best of them. A successful metaverse project could see early unicorns. It's not entirely impossible, Axy infinity is now a 4-billion dollar project, with the devs becoming a 3-billion dollar evaluated company.

The metaverse is going to span multiple (countless) apps/games and connect to each other cross-platform

The metaverse is going to span multiple (countless) apps/games and connect to each other cross-platform, and will become about the choice of hardware you want to experience the metaverse on, mobile, console, PC, VR.. and tech will accelerate to the point that all platforms will be able to run the same software through AI enhancement as a means of graphics processing, and multiplayer using deterministic and predictive technology. While there will be many apps/games to experience in the metaverse, not all of them will be OF the metaverse. Meaning, to truly be defined as "metaverse" you need to be able to do the things I have listed above. This does not mean that non-metaverse projects wont be in the metaverse. To buy, and sell things means you have the ability to create things and sell them, or own things and sell them to others in, or outside of the experience itself. While Roblox and Second Life are strong precursors to a metaverse with multiple aspects of my ability list above, they only allow these sales to be worth something inside their apps/games.

What truly needs to be worked on now, I believe, is the concept of connecting seamlessly through metaverse using AI. Persistent identity being the most troublesome of the top 5 abilities because to do so, you need agreement from all players in the space, or a congruent agreed-upon set of tools that allows this to happen. There are teams working on it, but none yet have mastered it, or led to mass adoption. What we are missing is a framework. Inside the gaming space market share is owned by Unity and Unreal in the development of games and 3d worlds. Likely need a new player, Amazon is making a play for it to have Lumberyard rise up from the ashes open-source and overseen by Linex Foundation. Lumberyard will always be a great choice because of their business model that doesn't take from creators as the others do. Now that it's open-source, means devs keep 100% of earnings without sharing with platforms. This has worked pretty well for Blender so far in terms of adoption, and framework in the 3d space for needed tools being developed by the community and for the community.

we are very early and very young in the Metaverse industry.

Metaverse is a buzzword for where we are currently at. A proper comparison at the moment of time in which we are in the timeline is that of Nintendo's Virtual Boy in VR, as we are very early and very young in the Metaverse industry. The vast differences are access to better technology, better education, cheaper resources, and being on the cusp of technological singularity. AI will likely speed up all aspects of our currently lived lives, and the experiences we enjoy. AI will speed up rendering and power will become software over hardware. AI will become fully deterministic and predictive which allows less processing power for more players to enjoy the same experiences. AI could also help us feel what is happening in virtual worlds, or smell, but I wouldn't want to eat AI formulated food yet.. Nor do I want to die in the metaverse due to full-dive VR nerve gear or rather Neuralink as it may be called in our dimension.

We've had tech that can control computer equipment via signals for a while. The closest thing we currently have to this is Emotiv. With AI, it is possible to skip the EEG option making us further question the concept of free will (this is a joke). That will make us feel superhuman in the digital world. As if we are professor x himself without the ability to read others' minds, as much as my wife would like me to, verbal communication will still be very important. That said, probably the most important aspect to the metaverse would be the opportunity to play hands-free, or more directly, controller-free. Oculus, ahem, Meta already has this working. What I am referring to more directly is getting away from a keyboard.

What I believe the metaverse in its broader sense will allow us to do is convert back to voice-based humanity. For much of the 21st-century humanity has been converting to communicating via text. Think about it, texts, emails, messaging platforms, and more. Humans are much slower on average at text-based comms, and the implication is a less personal experience, with a LOT more issues mistaking the tone, or causing arguments. Ironically, making things like Facebook easier to connect, but harder to connect. Now we all just believe we have hundreds of friends, without actually having any. Facebook has made it so very easy to also devalue others because of opinions or divisiveness. We block out of convenience, we distance easily, we leave on read even though we saw it. We can also make others perceive that we live ideal lives through pictures, that we are perfect people from the outside.

Friendship is still a tough beast to tackle for many in America due to our communities growing further apart physically. Metaverse allows us to connect again in the form of an avatar or identity to feel close even if millions of miles apart. It also forces us to go back to voice-based communication, where it is more natural and more human. I very much so like that even as an introvert where typing makes conversation easier and more convenient - but after a while causes loneliness, and as a result, mental health issues.

Life really is better, together.

At least if you can find your tribe. This is something that I do believe metaverse could be instrumental at, helping us find our tribe. AI in apps like TikTok are helping us each find content that is appealing to each of us, I wonder if AI could help us find folks we would get along with. I wonder sometimes if AI, even if not human could become a friend. Would it be pride that we find a friend in AI enough to not feel lonely, or is it humility that allows us to find friendship with non-humans. How will we be able to determine humans from non-humans? Eventually, we won't be able to tell in the metaverse because they look like us, they can talk like us. Maybe it becomes "a socially acceptable form of insanity."

The metaverse will be filled with interesting, beautiful experiences. It will come with its own versions of challenges, but since I view it from a utopian possibility and not that of dystopia it will lift each user's value, or perception of value to add to an already great everyday life. It likely will greatly enhance value, and I hope, financial freedoms for the vast population. There is gold to be mined, there will be a gold rush, and early adopters will benefit in many cases even if not a market leader.

I encourage you to get in touch with your favorite metaverse expert to consult and see how you might be able to leverage your business in the metaverse and what it would take to make it happen. If you do not have one, or you need a speaker for your conference, please get in touch.

Nathan Jetti Blair

Nathan Jetti Blair is a husband, and father of 3 children. He is an award-winning innovator, futurist, keynote & motivational speaker, writer, and entrepreneur who specializes in the entertainment industry. The Founder and CEO of Games For Love, a gaming-focused charity that is dedicated to easing suffering, saving lives, and creating sustainable futures for children. Founder of Super Chill Labs focusing on blockchain and metaverse technologies. Founder of AniHQ, short for Animation Headquarters a remote-based Animation lab. He has been in the gaming industry since 2007, entertainment executive, and consultant for companies like Glassdoor, Nintendo, and Microsoft Xbox.

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