What is the Metaverse, exactly?

Why should anyone care about the metaverse? Expert Matthew Ball explains what it is, what it isn’t, and why it matters. We syndicated this video from our partner company @bigthink Subscribe to Freethink on YouTube ► Up Next ► VR Trips Help Treat Depression in the Elderly By the end of the decade, the Metaverse could be worth between $6 trillion and $13 trillion. But what is it? The Metaverse is not simply immersive virtual reality or a really cool video game. It’s a combination of technologies that allows an unlimited number of users to experience real-time rendered, 3D virtual worlds synchronously and persistently. It is difficult to predict how the Metaverse will evolve, just as it was nearly impossible to predict the emergence of Facebook during the era of Windows 95. The Metaverse will not replace the internet, but will build upon and extend it. Chapters 00:00 - Intro 01:22 - What the Metaverse is not 02:30 - 10-part definition of the Metaverse 02:56 - Part 1: Massively-scaled 03:23 - Part 2: Virtual worlds 03:51 - Part 3: 3D 04:26 - Part 4: Interoperable network 05:41 - Part 5: Real-time rendering 06:14 - Part 6: Synchronous 06:45 - Part 7: Persistent 08:00 - Parts 8 & 9: Unlimited users with individual sense of presence 08:22 - Part 10: Continuity of data 08:55 - Technological eras are bundles 09:17 - 7 subcategories of the Metaverse 09:27 - Subcategory 1: Hardware 09:45 - Subcategory 2: Networking 09:57 - Subcategory 3: Computer powers 10:13 - Subcategory 4: Virtual platforms 10:45 - Subcategory 5: Interoperability standards 11:05 - Subcategory 6: Payment rails 11:18 - Subcategory 7: CAIS 11:46 - 5 stunning Metaverse examples 13:08 - Why do we need to learn about it now? ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ Read more of our stories on virtual entertainment: Video games for mental health are coming ► Minecraft players built a massive library for censored news ► Immersive technology will revolutionize our daily life ► ◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡ Watch our original series: ► Hard Reset: ► Just Might Work: ► Challengers: ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ About Freethink No politics, no gossip, no cynics. At Freethink, we believe the daily news should inspire people to build a better world. While most media is fueled by toxic politics and negativity, we focus on solutions: the smartest people, the biggest ideas, and the most ground breaking technology shaping our future. ◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡ Enjoy Freethink on your favorite platforms: ► Daily editorial features: ► Solutions-based stories, straight to your inbox: ► Facebook: ​/ ► Instagram: ​/ ► Twitter: ​/ ► Join the Freethink forum: