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From the leading theorist of the Metaverse comes the definitive account of the next internet: what the Metaverse is, what it will take to build it, and what it means for all of us.
The term “Metaverse” is suddenly everywhere, from the front pages of national newspapers and the latest fashion trends to the plans of the most powerful companies in history. It is already shaping the policy platforms of the US government, the European Union, and the Chinese Communist Party.
But what exactly, is the Metaverse? As the pioneering theorist and venture capitalist, Matthew Ball explains it as a persistent and interconnected network of 3D virtual worlds that will eventually serve as the gateway to most online experiences, and also underpin much of the physical world. For decades, these ideas have been limited to science fiction and video games, but they are now poised to revolutionize every industry and function, from finance and healthcare to education, consumer products, city planning, dating, and well beyond.
Taking us on an expansive tour of the “next internet,” Ball demonstrates that many proto-Metaverses are already here, such as Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox. Yet these offer only a glimpse of what is to come. Ball presents a comprehensive definition of the Metaverse before explaining the technologies that will power it―and the breakthroughs that will be necessary to fully realize it. He addresses the governance challenges the Metaverse entails; investigates the role of Web3, blockchains, and NFTs; and predicts Metaverse winners and losers. Most importantly, he examines many of the Metaverse’s almost unlimited applications.
The internet will no longer be at arm’s length; instead, it will surround us, with much of our lives, labor, and leisure taking place inside the Metaverse. Bringing clarity and authority to a frequently misunderstood concept, Ball foresees trillions of dollars in new value―and the radical reshaping of society.
Reviews
“Matthew Ball’s essays have defined, analyzed, and inspired the Metaverse for years. His book is an approachable and essential guide to the strategic, technical, and philosophical foundations of this new medium.”
―Tim Sweeney, founder and CEO of Epic Games
“This book feels like a rare achievement―a definitive statement about an emerging phenomenon that could shape the digital world, the global economy, and the very experience of human consciousness.”
―Derek Thompson, Atlantic staff writer and national best-selling author of Hit Makers
“I thought Matthew Ball’s essays were great, and anyone who’s trying to learn about [the Metaverse]… he wrote a nine-part piece on a bunch of the different aspects of what the metaverse could be, and I highly recommend all of them.”
– Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and Founder, Facebook
“At Coinbase, our thinking about the Metaverse has been heavily influenced by venture capitalist and writer Matthew Ball”
– Brian Armstrong, CEO and Co-Founder, Coinbase
About the Author
Matthew Ball is the Managing Partner of EpyllionCo, which operates an early-stage venture fund, as well as a corporate and venture advisory arm. EpyllionCo’s portfolio includes Genvid Technologies, The Athletic, Dapper Labs, Antenna, Subspace, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Parrot Analytics, Pushkin Industries, Blaseball, Headspace, Mirror.XYZ, One More Multiverse, and many other unannounced companies.
In addition, Matthew is a Venture Partner at Makers Fund, the world’s largest gaming venture fund by AUM, an Advisor to KKR, and a co-founder of Ball Metaverse Research Partners, which creates and maintains the index behind the Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF, which can be found on the New York Stock Exchange (Ticker: $METV). Matthew is also an “Occasional Contributor” to The Economist.
From 2016-2018, Matthew served as the Global Head of Strategy for Amazon Studios, and prior to that was a Director at The Chernin Group’s Otter Media, a digital media investment company founded by long-time Newscorp COO and 20th Century Fox CEO Peter Chernin, and an Executive at Accenture Strategy. In the 2000s, he was a full-time forest firefighter as part of Canada’s Ministry of Natural Resources and issued boating licenses on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard.
Matthew holds bylines at New York Times, The Economist, and Bloomberg, and has been covered by those publications, as well as The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Washington Post, Vice, The Verge, CNN, CNBC, Financial Times, BBC, Globe and Mail, and others.
