The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything

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 pioneering theorist and venture capitalist Matthew Ball explains, it is 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.

「元宇宙」這個詞突然間無處不在，從國家報紙的頭版新聞和最新的時尚潮流，到歷史上最強大的公司的計劃。它已經開始塑造美國政府、歐洲聯盟和中國共產黨的政策平台。

但是，究竟什麼是元宇宙？作為先驅理論家和風險投資家，Matthew Ball解釋說，它是一個持久且相互連接的3D虛擬世界網絡，最終將成為大多數在線體驗的入口，並支撐著大部分的現實世界。數十年來，這些想法一直局限於科幻小說和視頻遊戲，但現在它們正準備徹底改變每個行業和功能，從金融和醫療保健到教育、消費品、城市規劃、約會等等。

Ball帶領我們廣泛地遊覽「下一個互聯網」，展示了許多原型元宇宙已經存在，例如《堡垒之夜》、《我的世界》和《羅布洛克斯》。然而，這些只是未來的一瞥。Ball提出了對元宇宙的全面定義，然後解釋了將推動元宇宙的技術，以及實現它所需的突破。他探討了元宇宙所涉及的治理挑戰；調查了Web3、區塊鏈和NFT的作用；並預測了元宇宙的贏家和輸家。最重要的是，他探討了元宇宙幾乎無限的應用。

互聯網將不再遙不可及，而是環繞著我們，我們的生活、勞動和休閒大部分都將在元宇宙中進行。Ball對這個經常被誤解的概念提供了清晰和權威的見解，他預見將產生數以兆計的新價值，並徹底重塑社會。