Invest Like The Best
Episode 286 A Manual to The Metaverse
Invest Like The Best

Episode 286: A Manual to The Metaverse

Invest Like The Best

Episode 286

A Manual to The Metaverse

Matthew Ball is the Managing Partner of EpyllionCo. We cover the 3D engines powering the Metaverse, why interoperability is so important, and the types of companies that stand to do well under a shift to the Metaverse.

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[00:02:37] - [First question] - Which most represents the Metaverse: Minecraft, Ready Player One, Fortnite, or Facebook’s Horizon

[00:05:58] - Facebook trying to own the concept of the Metaverse by changing their name 

[00:09:22] - Defining what the Metaverse is and a good working definition of it

[00:11:33] - The state of the engines behind 3D output and the history of them 

[00:16:32] - The role IP played in bootstrapping the first Metaverses 

[00:18:32] - Where the ability to create digital environments will lead, and what Unreal 7 could look like compared to Unreal 5 today

[00:21:03] - Natural limits of the Metaverse compared to real-world experiences

[00:24:16] - Other sensory inputs that will need to be improved for digital immersion

[00:26:59] - Why the initial excitement of trying something like Oculus wears off over time, both for casual gamers and those excited about this new frontier

[00:31:40] - Changes in technology and new projects that will empower the digital infrastructure for the Metaverse

[00:37:14] - What interoperability means and why it has its own chapter in his book

[00:31:52] - How Roblox connects with Fortnite and how far down we need to go to build a bridge between digital worlds

[00:46:13] - What will drive commerce in the Metaverse and the possibility for a singular currency standard

[00:51:35] - Considering demand for the Metaverse and whether or not it will be a constraint on adoption

[00:57:37] - What the modern equivalent of a lemonade stand will be in the Metaverse

[00:59:58] - The lower adoption rates for more participatory media consumption

[01:03:19] - Potential pitfalls and the dark side of the Metaverse

[01:06:14] - Who the categorical winners of the Metaverse might be   

[01:14:15] - The top things he would suggest exploring to best understand the Metaverse

A Manual to The Metaverse

Introduction

Patrick
My guest today is Matthew Ball. Matt is an investor, the former head of strategy at Amazon Studios, and one of the brightest minds in the media industry. Through his essays and now his book which launches today, Matt has established himself as the foremost authority on the metaverse, which has stormed into the public eye since I first had him on the show two years ago. The metaverse is the focus for our discussion, and I hope you enjoy this encyclopedic tour through all of its details as much as I did.

Familiar Platforms with Metaverse Elements

Patrick
Well, round two is here. We get to talk about one of the most interesting topics in the world, especially because of how much insane detail there is under the topic of the metaverse, much of it contained in your awesome new book that I just finished a couple days ago. I think a fun place to begin picking up on our last conversation is with a couple analogy questions, specifically around things that already exist that people will be familiar with, and the degree to which you think they represent something like the metaverse. I want to start here as an anchor point, rather than go deep into the infrastructure right from the beginning. So I'd love you to stack rank these four big ideas, and you tell me which you think from most to least represents metaverse elements. Those four being Minecraft, Ready Player One, Fortnite, and Facebook's Horizon.

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