The Metaverse: What It Is, Where to Find it, Who Will Build It, and Fortnite
I loved this piece from Matthew Ball for a number of reasons. First, it talks about video games, which I have an interesting past with as both an investor and player. Second, I immediately latched onto the idea of the "metaverse" and believe that it will be influential in the not-too-distant future. In short, the metaverse is a more dynamic and immersive version of “Ready Player One” or “The Matrix.” Ball contests that the metaverse will be a massive technological and economic change, although it won't happen all of a sudden. In fact, we see pieces of a metaverse today: look no further than Fortnite and some of the live experiences the "platform" hosts. Here is the author's description of the metaverse: "Even if the Metaverse falls short of the fantastical visions captured by science fiction authors, it is likely to produce trillions in value as a new computing platform or content medium. But in its full vision, the Metaverse becomes the gateway to most digital experiences, a key component of all physical ones, and the next great labor platform." Ball highlights large companies such as MSFT, FB, AMZN, and AAPL as potentially having a large impact on the metaverse, but also smaller companies like Epic (Unreal engine) and SNAP (cameras and glasses).