We took buses downtown to comic book stores and A&B Sound for CDs (all the cutting-edge rage replacing cassette tapes of course), played endless hours of street hockey, and were genuinely blown away at how frickin awesome The Empire Strikes Back was (and still is today), and adored Phoebe Cates & Jennifer Jason Leigh in Fast Times at Ridgemont High in 1982.
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We lived experiences hard and simply couldn't wait for the next big thing to show up...like...Internet 1.0
Welcome fellow Digital Adventurers, to a realm where reality and virtuality are colliding, where pixels and possibilities now intertwine! Yes, I'm talking about the ever-elusive concept of 'the metaverse.' Strap on your virtual reality headsets, because we're about to embark on a historical journey through this mind-bending term and explore how it's set to revolutionize the bland old Web 2.0 we've spent the last 24 years growing to love!
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If the word "metaverse" sounds like something right out of a science fiction novel, you wouldn't be entirely wrong. Coined by legendary sci-fi writer Neal Stephenson in his 1992 novel "Snow Crash," the term initially described a virtual reality space where people could interact and explore together.
It was a place where you could suddenly be anyone, do anything, and be part of a digital world that was limited only by imagination (and, well, technological limitations).
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Whack a Mole - Plants vs Zombies Minigame : Whack a Zombie
Swipe forward a few decades, and suddenly the term "metaverse" is popping up everywhere like the 1975 game of whack-a-mole, or its 2009 reincarnation via Plants Vs. Zombies. It's on the lips of tech giants, startups, and even your friends & family who can't resist rubbing you backwards on these new 'crypto fad' buzzwords.
SO WHAT DOES THE METAVERSE MEAN EXACTLY FOR DEAR OLD WEB 2.0?
First and foremost, the metaverse represents a paradigm shift in how we perceive and engage with the online world. Picture a virtual realm where you can transcend the limitations of your physical self, don a digital avatar, and immerse yourself in a multidimensional universe.
Suddenly, those boring Zoom calls become dynamic virtual meetings where you can high-five your colleagues and share cat memes in real time. Say goodbye to mundane social media feeds and hello to immersive social experiences where you can dance with friends on a pixelated dance floor, attend a concert in your favorite band's virtual stadium or soon, walk through user-generated virtual museums of digital collectibles & comic showrooms
Just think what this will do in terms of the Home Entertainment Industry - your entire wall, or somewhere in between it and your couch LOL could quite easily become your own 240" virtual screen display!
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Yet the metaverse is more than just virtual fun and games. It has the potential to reshape entire industries!
Imagine strolling through a virtual mall or art museum where you can try on clothes or view both classic & cutting-edge works of art, without ever leaving your couch. Think about this; explore "VIRTUAL DISNEY" where you can immersively interact with classical characters or knock out tie fighters with the Millennium Falcon's main guns, from the comfort of your living room, damn near the sensations of actually being there. Or hop into your virtual jet and explore the wonders of the world without worrying about travel expenses, illnesses or jet lag.
What if...for the MILLIONS of Disney fans who may never be able to physically attend a park based on costs, travel restraints, illness, or any of a thousand reasons, they could, for a drastically-reduced fee, enter the virtual park & experience the joy in a way that works out for them. Great for the fans, great for Disney's bottom line adding new revenue streams.
Where the promise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin aim to "help bank the unbanked," the ability for Disney or other travel destinations, theme parks, theaters or other experience-based destinations once deemed unaffordable for so many, could potentially be an "almost-like-being-there" second best alternative!
If you're a GAMER, DO check out where JADU is headed with their Augmented Reality (AR) gaming engine at their site, or their video Dr. Profit posted on Twitter - it's FANTASTIC!
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The metaverse has the power to democratize creativity and entrepreneurship like never before...
In this pixelated playground, artists can showcase their work in virtual galleries, with the very real potential of earning recurring income for their sales. Musicians can perform live concerts for fans across the globe, enabling millions of attendees at once via very small 'micropayments' and aspiring filmmakers can create immersive cinematic experiences that rival Hollywood blockbusters.
The possibilities are as boundless as our collective imagination, but the technology is just about ready to deliver via the Blockchain (which we'll call WEB3).
Just imagine the potential from the creator industry perspective...
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An NFT Creator (NFT screenshots courtesy of Kid Arcade / @vevearcade on Twitter), could sell (or airdrop for free) an NFT edition to a user or friend, earning a potential initial commission or sale. However, upon that buyer subsequently reselling the asset to a new party, the artist could receive a royalty, again and again and again...Musicians could earn ongoing royalties for their songs used in commercials or from re-streamed concerts or shows, while collectors could earn commissions or revenues from the renting of their assets in gaming systems, digital ads, or more. All verified immutable, tamper-proof and transaction history solidified on the Blockchain.
Disney has even started down this path, filing a patent for NFT Re-Minting. (thanks @KlyeWilson for his YouTube review). Although early in the journey, this is a clear example of where things are headed. Meta (formerly Facebook) & Apple's Vision Pro Glasses also clearly outline what is looming on our Web3 horizon!
Some skeptics will argue, and rightly so, that the metaverse will lead to a world devoid of genuine human connection.
Now, it's not all that difficult to envision a world where we're all glued to our virtual reality headsets, living in pixelated isolation, barely noticing one another and losing all sense of social skills or etiquette. Hmmm...where on Earth would I come up with such a concept hahaha! Read Corey Robert's blog 'Staring Downward' if you dare!
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But fear not, my friends! The metaverse, at its core, is a tool that can enhance our real-world interactions, not replace them. It's an extension of the Internet's power to connect us, making distance irrelevant and enabling shared experiences in ways we never thought possible. At the root is deeply connecting communities and experiences, where our phones merely offer a 2D (WEB2) experience to read & share the things we enjoy...
Yes, Disney 'paused' its Metaverse development, laying off 50 staff, but the recent market for anything tech-based has been horrific and as a corporation, this slightly helps show a better overall bottom line against Disney+ streaming losses to investors. In the meantime though, it's filing patents for NFT-based programs! Then, Google recently moved away from its smart-glasses development, but that was to focus on building out more A/R software.
Remember that scene in Star Wars, The Clone Wars where Anakin & Palpatine enjoy a fully immersive AR experience? It was NIFTY to watch when the show was released, but we may not be that far off from its reality...check out THE SPHERE in Vegas, which aims to eliminate the need to even wear AR-based Goggles altogether!
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I'm already having such a BLAST staying connected phygitally (physical meet-ups paired with lots of online social engagement) with the VeVe, DCNFT, Topps & other digital collectible communities that I can hardly wait to see what the VeVeVerse looks like, or other metaverses each with their own unique experiences, or maybe even get to Vegas to see this new SPHERE in action. Maybe I'll need a VeVe animated digital vehicle, like a time-traveling Delorean or Tie Fighter to criss-cross these metaverses...akin to Dr. Strange going through Marvel's 'multiverses!'
We've already thought out many concepts, so maybe, just maybe...without Star Trek Communicators first appearing in 1966, we wouldn't have built the flip phone, or ended up with Facetime!
As we march bravely (or cautiously) into the metaverse, it's important to remember the real world is where we live, laugh and love. The metaverse though, could be where we dream, explore & unlock the full potential of our collective creativity.
So, my dear readers, prep your NFT avatars, stack some of the INCREDIBLE Digital Collectibles hitting the market today and buckle up for the wild ride ahead. The metaverse is poised to change Web 2.0 for the better, injecting a dose of excitement, possibility, and virtual absurdity into our online lives.
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So sure, I'm bullish on this exciting technological development! Let's embrace this new frontier, build incredible experiences, and remember to take off our headsets from time to time to rub our eyes & appreciate the beauty of the world beyond the screen.
Thank You for Reading!
