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With 380MM MAUs, Roblox probably counts more players than the entire AAA gaming ecosystem, is more played than Disney+ is watched, and is starting to rival smaller social networks in scale. But Roblox has yet to profit. How can it become a business comparable to its operating scale?
Nine thoughts on Apple’s own expectations and spend, what the Vision Pro has and hasn’t achieved, fair and unfair evaluations, and more after six months
Lessons on unexpected inspiration, UGC video games, and a four-decade quest to build the Metaverse.
Tim and Neal’s thoughts on the definition of the “Metaverse,” its technological and economic growth, Neal’s reaction on the day Facebook changed its name to Meta, the future of Fortnite, their thoughts on Apple’s Vision Pro, blockchains, and the ethics of Generative AI, plus “Snow Crash 2," and much more.
What it will take for headset sales to cross 100 million annually, the specs of Boz’s dream headset, Meta’s spending on Reality Labs, whether and when developers might get access to the Quest’s raw camera feed, the many inventions required to ship optical AR glasses, the role of AI, and more.
What’s old is new again, but sometimes reinterpreted, distorted, or weighted with what came in between. What matters, doesn’t, and where most agree we’re headed.
Thirteen years after XR devices became a big tech obsession, VR/AR devices are not just behind schedule, they still seem far away. Why?
(Article is in Chinese and is paywalled)
Why should anyone care about the metaverse? Expert Matthew Ball explains what it is, what it isn’t, and why it matters.
Quick links to my book tour on THE METAVERSE
Reviews, blurbs, and details on my Book, THE METAVERSE. Published by W.W. Norton | Liveright in July 2022.
Following Facebooks’ rebrand as ‘Meta’, Mark hosted me on Facebook’s audio rooms to chat Metaverse standards, interoperability, and more
A nine-part series on the Metaverse, what it is, how much of it is already here, what it needs to thrive, and more
“It’s hard to talk about gaming in 2021 and not come across references to the Metaverse. Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft can all lay claim to be building it (in their own way) with many others trying to get in on the action. Who will be the first to successfully build The Metaverse is a question ripe for discussion and few have spent more time thinking about it than Matthew Ball.”
An essay on platforms, power, prosperity, principles, and profits.
A walk through of one of the most important, but least understood companies of the future.
An essay on theme parks, platforms, and the importance of hugs.
There’s a reason every Big Tech CEO has a well-worn copy of “Snow Crash” in their office.
Much has been said about Fortnite’s revenue, users, business model, origin and availability. But these narratives are overhyped. What matters most is instead how these achievements will enable Epic Games and Fortnite to create something truly revolutionary.
I join Ben Thompson’s Stratechery for a podcast on the rush to the Metaverse, the idealism of interoperability, the philosophy of Epic, the hope of blockchain, and more