A non-definition of the metaverse

Although it’s not a novel concept, metaverse has been generating a lot of buzz recently. Not only due to bold announcements by Big Tech players like Meta, but also, and more importantly, thanks to recent technological breakthroughs notably in spatial computing and blockchain.

In response to this increasing interest, the BCG Henderson Institute is launching a new series “Verses on Metaverses” to explore the many forms metaverses can take and to help business leaders navigate how to engage and leverage this concept within their organizations.

Our goal is to exchange ideas, compare visions; and learn from each other’s experiences. We encourage you to come share, comment, contribute, and debate on the series.

What is the metaverse? In this first post, instead of trying to come up with our own definition, we’d like to start talking about how businesses should think about the concept of metaverse by sharing a set of building blocks and a framework.?

To us, the concept of metaverse can be used to analyze any digital platform on which we can virtually attain all — or some purposes — that mimic what we can achieve in the physical world. Just like the real world, a metaverse is dynamic in nature and embodied thanks to a set of specific properties, with the extent of its sophistication a function of the digital technologies that drive it.?

Looking at metaverses in such a fashion highlights three major components or lenses:

1, Purpose. Every metaverse allows users to pursue multiple goals. They are designed to offer virtual experiences and services that reflect the myriad possibilities of human lives and our infinite needs – from leisure to work and consumption for instance. We call this the metaverse’s purpose layer.

2, Properties. Metaverses rely on digital technologies to deliver virtual experiences and services, but businesses should first focus?on each metaverse’s capabilities. For instance, instead of focusing on the tech solution (e.g. I want to use VR), focus on the capabilities of your metaverse (e.g. I want an immersive experience). We define these capabilities as a metaverse’s emergent properties.?

3, Technologies. Metaverses characteristics and objectives continuously change as digital technologies develop, and users engage with virtual worlds. For instance, from Second Life’s simplistic avatars to Meta’s virtual reality world, metaverses have always offered immersive experiences. Thus, a metaverse’s foundations consist of the constantly evolving tech combinations that determine the continuum of possibilities in the purpose layer as well as the emerging properties. This is what we call the dynamic technology layer.?

Do you agree??Or disagree??Let us know right here on LinkedIn, or when you bump into our avatars in a metaverse.?

Francois Candelon | Michael Jacobides | Philip Evans | Karen Lellouche Tordjman | Maxime Courtaux | Ariane Lafolie | Gabriel Nahas ?