The metaverse

If you’re sick and tired of hearing about the metaverse, I’ve got bad news for you. It’s coming and it’s here to stay. We may be a lot closer to that online virtual world than most of us probably think - in many ways, it’s already happening. We’re all living in some form of a metaverse whether it’s through video games or working through Zoom. We just don’t realize or call it the metaverse yet as it hasn’t all been tied together.

A lot are probably going to be scared shitless reading the previous paragraph. There is legitimate fear that we’re all going to just move to online lives, ignore each other in person and all end up becoming human hermits programmed by Mark Zuckerberg.

I for one have a lot more of a positive outlook on what the metaverse is and can do for us.

First, I think it’s important to establish what the metaverse is. I don’t believe there will be one dedicated world like Ready Player One portrayed. The metaverse will be a term used to describe specific experiences or services. We may log onto the Fortnite metaverse to play video games in the morning and then go into the Nordstrom metaverse to go online shopping with friends in the afternoon. This may all be capped with a concert at MSG that we would attend virtually.

The hope is that these metaverse experiences will supplement our current lives, not replace. The metaverse has a real chance to enhance our lives while making things much more convenient.

Going back to the concert example above. Let’s pretend the Warriors are playing the Knicks at MSG and I live in San Francisco. I could fly to NY, book a hotel and buy tickets - but it’s going to be a really expensive trip. Would I typically prefer to go in person? 100%. Would I still be able to enjoy myself with a virtual experience through the MSG metaverse? 100%.

I can still attend with friends and have a great time from my living room. Nothing can replace a live experience, but when faced with not going or going virtually, I’d take it.

This all sounds pretty damn good to me and I’m excited to see what the future may bring.