The word “metaverse” itself was originated from the novel “Snow Crash” of Neal Stephenson, but it’s very fictional concept (like Matrix world etc) so I needed to find more academic or something close to the level of logical definition about it. But after researching about this paradigm revolutionary word, I’m really surprised by that there is only one expert in the world, who could provide theorical basis about this word. It was Mattew Ball and his article & site became bible of the ethusiast about this. But after reading & analysizing  his article more precisely, I’m more surprised by that there were lots of problems in his theory (if I could call this as theory).

 

> Matthew Ball’s two famouse metaverse articles.

https://www.matthewball.vc/the-metaverse

https://www.matthewball.vc/the-metaverse-primer

 

A. Small Good points (which I agreed to)

1)   Summarzing & naming it as one word, “Metaverse”

– Recently too rapid change are going on every field of technology, so it’s even hard to follow it up. But his work covered most of tech area which will bring some paradigm shift of our time and life , and naming it as a cool word “Metaverse” instead of  old or conventional word like “Virtual Reality” or “4th industrial revoluton”, maybe this is one and only best thing of this work.

2) Finding & follwing general platfom trend like user-created contents

3) Clear split between metaverse and virtual asset like NFT or bitcoin etc.

 

 B. Lots of Problems ( which I can’t agree to)

1)  Naive idealizaion about unification & standard.

– Without any reason, he naively claim lots of condition which metaverse must do. (which repeatedly mentioned by metaverse enthusiasts)

– He is confusing the characteristic of each service with the condition of whole metaverse. He defines for certain service what is metaverse service or not, but always pushing his “metaverse check sheet” onto  each service. It’s very strange logic, becuase even in internet or mobile servicse there is no ‘perfect internet service’ which satisfying every condition of internet.

–  Very naive or Utopia fantasy for a certain media, which most appeared in the early stage of new media (these kind of syndrome even existed when network or WWW or mobile was debut)

2) Lack of understading about exising media landscape.

– It’s very strange that he ignore the potential of each media or service, just with a reason “Because this is not a metaverse”, even he bring the core concept of metaverse from that media. (For example, most of his definition is based on the concept of virtual reality, but then he denys that it’s not metaverse because it’s just virtual reality,,,??)

– Compared to his ignorance to each media’s enough value, there is no unique value or experience for his metaverse. He just combine all feature of all existing service but that’s all.

3) Lack of reality between real life VS virtual world.

– Too naively thinking and imagining  about the virtual world which can absorb every activity of real life. It already failed model  proved by the failure of ‘Second Life”

–  It seems like he couldn’t distingush the difference between real world’s practical service (Amazon, infor search) and contents/storytelling  world (like game, Netfilx content etc).

4) Too Tech dependent (Tech will solve everything)

– He repeatdly metinong the develoment of certain tech will bring the real metaverse future, but in fact most of tech failed not because of it’s quality but becase of lack of it’s realistic usage or way in human’s living.

5) Lack of understanding or devaluation  about Game or VR

– Game is already very succesful media or one of dominatiing media before metaverse concept comes, and even most of his concept also based on game but he repeately saying “Metaverse will be more than game”. It means he can’t understand about game media.

– Same logical error happens when he mentioned about VR

 

These are my overcall responce about the most famous article for Metaverse. I dissapointed a lot & also little bit shocked about the fact that now all the industry (and billions of monety) are following these very naive theory without discussion & criticism.

And because of many problems of this only one existing metaverse theory, maybe I need to find more productive thesis insight from other media studies before. But believe that finding problem is always the best step to find solution.

Jack