INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER — United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and China (Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Nielsen Bookscan, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, BookNet Canada, Bookseller.com, Bookdao/Nielsen, JD, DangDang) Tim Sweeney (CEO of Fortnite-maker Epic Games): “Matthew Ball’s essays have defined, analyzed, and inspired the Metaverse for years. His book is an approachable and essential guide to the strategic, technical, and philosophical foundations of this new medium.” Derek Thompson (Atlantic staff writer and national best-selling author of Hit Makers): “This book feels like a rare achievement: a definitive statement about an emerging phenomenon that could shape the digital world, the global economy, and the very experience of human consciousness.” From the leading theorist of the Metaverse comes the definitive account of the next internet: what the Metaverse is, what it will take to build it, and what it means for all of us. 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.

“A fascinating, provocative case that the metaverse will not merely transform our virtual experience—it may actually enrich the quality of our lives” (Adam Grant)—from the visionary co-founder of one of today’s most innovative technology companies “This important book offers a highly persuasive argument that the metaverse, a new kind of virtual world, marks a profound next stage in this long human quest for fulfillment through creation.”—Chris Anderson, head of TED The concept of “the metaverse” has exploded in the public consciousness, but its contours remain elusive. Is it merely an immersive virtual reality playground, one that Facebook and other platforms will angle to control? Is it simply the next generation of massive multiplayer online games? Or is it something more revolutionary? As pioneering technologist Herman Narula shows, the metaverse is the latest manifestation of an ancient human tendency: the act of worldbuilding. From the Egyptians, whose conception of death inspired them to build the pyramids, to modern-day sports fans, whose passion for a game inspires extreme behavior, humans have long sought to supplement their day-to-day lives with a rich diversity of alternative experiences. Rooting his vision in history and psychology, Narula argues that humans’ intrinsic need for autonomy, accomplishment, and connection can best be met in virtual “worlds of ideas,” where users have the chance to create and exchange meaning and value. The metaverse is both the growing set of fulfilling digital experiences—ranging from advanced gaming to concerts and other entertainment events and even to virtual employment—and the empowering framework that allows these spaces to become “networks of useful meaning.” Bloomberg Intelligence recently predicted that the metaverse will become an $800 billon industry by 2024. But its implications, argues Narula, will lead to far more awe-inspiring possibilities than a spigot of cash. The arrival of the metaverse marks the beginning of a new age of exploration—not outward, but inward—with the potential to reshape society and open the door to a new understanding of the human species and its capabilities. Rigorously researched and passionately argued, Virtual Society is a provocative and essential guide for anyone who wants to go beyond superficial headlines to understand the true contours and potential of our virtual future.

Curious about the metaverse but can't quite wrap your head around it? Maybe you want to get a headstart but don't know where to begin? In this practical primer, you will learn why and how we should prepare for a new digital renaissance and what it means in terms of job opportunities, investments, and new business models. By reading this book, I invite you to start yourself on a journey of becoming a digital investor, a metaverse business owner, a virtual real estate mogul, voxel architect, or simply a curious onlooker to the latest chapter of the Internet. What you will learn from reading this book: - Who and what will power the metaverse - New business opportunities in the virtual economy and the web3 era - Introduction to decentralized worlds including Decentraland, Axie Infinity, SuperWorld, Cryptovoxels, The Sandbox, and Somnium Space - Insight into investing in virtual real estate, including the buy & flip approach and hoddling - The role of cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, DAOs, and NFTs in the metaverse You will also receive access to a private Discord group for discussing opportunities in the metaverse with the author and community.

Your first step to understanding what the metaverse is all about You've probably heard that the metaverse—a word that seemingly went from nonexistent to everywhere — is the next big thing in technology. What is it, anyway? Written by a leading futurist, Metaverse For Dummies unravels the mysteries of the metaverse, for the curious and for anyone looking to get in on the ground floor. Discover how to carve out your niche in the metaverse with easy-to-understand breakdowns of the major technologies and platforms, a guide to doing business in the metaverse, and explorations of what meta means for sports, education, and just about every other area of life. The book even gives you a guide to safety in the metaverse, including how much of your real life you should share in your virtual one. This book answers all the big questions about the metaverse, in simple terms. Explore the metaverse and the major players Get a look at how the metaverse will disrupt industries from gaming to online commerce Discover business opportunities on the metaverse Dive into metaverse gaming and virtual events—safely This book is a must for anyone looking for an approachable primer on what the metaverse is, how it works, and the opportunities within it.

A leading philosopher takes a mind-bending journey through virtual worlds, illuminating the nature of reality and our place within it. Virtual reality is genuine reality; that’s the central thesis of Reality+. In a highly original work of “technophilosophy,” David J. Chalmers gives a compelling analysis of our technological future. He argues that virtual worlds are not second-class worlds, and that we can live a meaningful life in virtual reality. We may even be in a virtual world already. Along the way, Chalmers conducts a grand tour of big ideas in philosophy and science. He uses virtual reality technology to offer a new perspective on long-established philosophical questions. How do we know that there’s an external world? Is there a god? What is the nature of reality? What’s the relation between mind and body? How can we lead a good life? All of these questions are illuminated or transformed by Chalmers’ mind-bending analysis. Studded with illustrations that bring philosophical issues to life, Reality+ is a major statement that will shape discussion of philosophy, science, and technology for years to come.

THE 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION WITH NEW, NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED MATERIAL After the Internet, what came next? Enter the Metaverse - cyberspace home to avatars and software daemons, where anything and just about everything goes. Newly available on the Street - the Metaverse's main drag - is Snow Crash. A cyberdrug that reduces avatars in the digital world to dust, but also infects users in real life, leaving them in a vegetative state. This is bad news for Hiro, a freelance hacker and the Metaverse's best swordfighter, and mouthy skateboard courier Y. T.. Together, investigating the Infocalypse, they trace back the roots of language itself to an ancient Sumerian priesthood and find they must race to stop a shadowy virtual villain hell-bent on world domination. In this special edition of the remarkably prescient modern classic, Neal Stephenson explores linguistics, computer science, politics and philosophy in the form of a break-neck adventure into the fast-approaching yet eerily recognizable future. 'Fast-forward free-style mall mythology for the twenty-first century' William Gibson 'Brilliantly realized' New York Times Book Review 'Like a Pynchon novel with the brakes removed' Washington Post 'A remarkably prescient vision of today's tech landscape' Vanity Fair

Extending traditional digital platforms to the new frontier of extended reality (XR) requires taking into account what best practices, new concepts, and conventions have been established and what learnings can be brought forward from case studies involving industry leaders. By looking at practical examples from the field of handheld AR breakthroughs, virtual reality (VR) success stories and experimental interaction concept of pioneering XR platforms, you'll see how it's possible to map out a framework of user experience (UX) guidelines to close in on opportunities and challenges that lay ahead. This book defines, identifies, and analyzes UX practices for XR environments and reviews the techniques and tools for prototyping and designing XR user interactions. You'll approach the design for experiential state and spatial cognition, using established UX key performance indicators, while taking into account the social dynamics, emotional framework and wider industry context. UX design and strategy for the XR space is a new frontier, so UX for XR focuses on case studies and industry research to illustrate the relationship between UX design and the growth of immersive technologies. Practical examples will demonstrate how you should apply UX design principles using designing interactions in XR by identifying the importance of spaces, senses and storyboarding. What You'll Learn Explore the challenges and opportunities of designing for XR See how spatial interaction is revolutionizing human computer interaction Examine sensory input and interaction beyond the screen Work with 3D Interaction Design and build a strong 3D UX Understand VR and augmented reality essentials for emotion-rich user experiences Apply UX research techniques for the XR space Who This Book Is For This book is primarily for UX designers, consultants, and strategists; XR developers; and media professionals