Dear, Metaverse: calm down
The virtual worlds of the metaverse often feel like the laziest way our brains can make sense of what web3 can deliver, writes Matt Lawton. Why have so many people rushed in to recreate their real-world environments? And are we focused on the wrong thing?
After over a year of constant hype and speculation with frustratingly little to show for it all, enough is enough. Even for an industry so often hooked on buzzwords and shiny new things, our collective obsession with the metaverse is looking increasingly unjustified.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m open to a revolution – I’m just not seeing the connection between the promise and where the metaverse is at today.
Firstly, the word itself. Many marketers are already sick of hearing about it. Some brands (e.g., Heineken) have publicly lampooned it. And those who don’t roll their eyes, tend to experience a cocktail of intimidation and befuddlement when they encounter it. These aren’t the attitudes one would expect to be associated with an innovation that’s about to change all of our lives.
