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Hey METACRUN.CHERS, you may have seen or heard the name BYTE CITY appear across our newsletters and in our metaverse rankings and not been too sure on what it actually is. Well, now is your time to get the low-down on this metaversy marvel. What is BYTE CITY, you may ask? Well, let me tell you aaaall about it. BYTE CITY is a brand new virtual world that is the perfect escape from reality. Imagine a place where you can explore, socialise, and create in a digital environment. That's right, BYTE CITY is the ultimate online destination for those looking to have some fun and let loose - and it’s on the blockchain, baby. Oh, and there's a lot more. BYTE CITY offers a unique experience that you won't find anywhere else across the ever-expanding landscape of web3. The world is designed to look like a retro, city straight out of the 80s. You'll feel like you've stepped into a time machine and been transported to an era of neon lights, cassette tapes, and arcade games. It's the perfect place for those who love nostalgia and want to relive the glory days that they may (or even may not have) lived through. Once you've created your avatar, it's time to start exploring BYTE CITY. There are so many places to visit and things to do. You can check out the arcade and play classic games based on Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and Donkey Kong. Or, you can head to the dance club and show off your best moves on the dance floor. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even go on a virtual scavenger hunt and search for hidden treasures throughout the city. But BYTE CITY isn't just about having fun all on your lonesome. It's also a social platform where you can meet new people and make friends from all over the world. You can join groups and communities based on your interests, and chat with others who share your passions. And if you're feeling really brave, you can even attend virtual parties and events where you can meet other players in person (well, sort of). BYTE CITY is constantly evolving. The developers are always adding new features and content to keep things fresh and exciting. So even if you've been playing for a while, there's always something new to discover. So what are you waiting for? Join the thousands of players who have already discovered the magic of BYTE CITY. It's the perfect place to escape from reality and immerse yourself in a world of fun and adventure. With its retro vibe, endless customization options, and social features, you'll never want to leave. Why not give it a try? Who knows, you might just fall in love with it. Grab your keyboard, log in, and get ready for an unforgettable experience. Welcome to BYTE CITY, ladies and gents!

The role of AI in art and creative fields is a topic of ongoing discussion and debate, I’m pretty sure we all have our own opinion on our AI faves or AI as our foes. While AI systems, such as those focused on generating visual content, have shown impressive capabilities, it took a million years to make fingers happen. We Really Wanna See Those Fingers The battle for AI in art does not solely revolve around getting fingers right. While fingers were indeed a challenging aspect for AI models like DALL-E and Clip (which powers Midjourney), the overall goal of this use case for AI is to develop artificial intelligence systems that can understand and generate creative and artistic content. Fingers have been a difficult problem for AI models because they are intricate and have complex shapes and movements. Capturing the fine details and nuances of fingers in visual representations requires a high level of precision. Historically, generating realistic images of fingers and hand poses has been challenging for AI models, especially when it comes to representing subtle variations and movements. AI systems are designed to learn from existing data and generate outputs based on patterns and examples they have been trained on. While they can produce impressive and novel results, they lack the ability to truly understand concepts, emotions, and abstract ideas in the same way human artists do. Concept artists and fine artists bring their unique perspectives, experiences, and creative thinking to their work, allowing them to create original and innovative pieces that reflect their individuality. However, it is important to note that the progress of AI models in the field of Art AI goes beyond just fingers. Researchers and engineers have been working on various aspects of visual understanding, generation, and creativity. AI models like DALL-E and Midjourney have achieved significant advancements in generating complex images, understanding context, and producing creative outputs. What the Eye Sees, the Heart Feels, Right? LinkedIn. The cultural melting pot of flexes, opinions and the harshest critics of everything. A CEO friend from a brilliant web3 gaming company went through a phase of calling out LinkedIn AI art aficionados with the famous words “show me them fingers” each time someone shared an image of “red haired woman standing in Parisian street wearing Hermes” [replace this prompt with similar ad infinitum] but beneath the surface of these, er, surface images is perception. The focus on fingers in certain AI projects might be due to their significance in human visual perception and expression. Fingers play a crucial role in many artistic forms, including gestures, hand poses, and fine details in visual artworks. Go and talk to a game artist, they don’t just show up fresh from a tutorial on Youtube; oh no—though they look like they do. Game artists are artists. It's just that they apply their craft in games. Their work is studied, developed, iterated upon, it isn’t just farted out through a machine. Oh and they do fingers. Sometimes, they just do fingers. And thumbs. AI researchers aim to improve the overall realism and expressiveness of AI-generated art, of course they do, but their machines need to learn a whole lot of fingers. Just Enough Art is not only about the final visual output but also the process and personal touch involved in its creation. Artists use their hands, emotions, and experiences to express themselves through their work. They bring a human element to their art that encompasses more than just visual representation. This human touch and expression are difficult for AI systems to replicate fully, I mean, this is not a lie, these things are difficult to understand as a human sometimes, let alone AI. Remember that AI is not a person, you are. Which is why flexing a ripped Albert Einstein across your socials feels more like the end of days than “hundreds” of leading thinkers heralding ChatGPT as the Axis of Evil. Is art subjective? You’d better believe it. And it can be interpreted differently by different individuals. Human artists have the ability to convey their thoughts, emotions, and messages in ways that can resonate with others on a deep level. AI systems may struggle to capture the same level of nuanced and subjective interpretation that human artists can achieve; and because art is often a collaborative process—the human connection and interaction that take place during the creation and appreciation of art are significant aspects that AI systems cannot replicate. Instead of replacing artists, shouldn’t AI systems serve as powerful tools that augment and enhance the creative process? Yes. That might even help the finger issue magically disappear (though I believe someone already got the memo) They can be used as sources of inspiration, assist in generating ideas, or provide new tools for artists to explore their creativity. AI-generated art can also open up new possibilities and aesthetics that were previously unexplored. The collaboration between human artists and AI systems has the potential to yield exciting and innovative results, while still maintaining the unique contributions of human creativity. At the end of the day artists are bringing us soul, they’re speaking to us from a place of understanding. If you want a generative wolf howling at Uranus, that’s between you and your therapist. I’m not feeling AI art at all, I want to feel a connection when I’m standing looking at something, I want to feel that The Artist Is Present whether I’m in a game or a museum; so give me what you got and bring those fingers too.

🌟 FIND #GoldenJuji and Embark on an Epic Adventure! 🌟 Are you ready for the ultimate treasure hunt? Kawaji, the beloved Japanese snack distributor, is inviting you on a thrilling quest to find the elusive Golden Juji! Prepare to unleash your inner explorer and embark on an adventure filled with excitement, delicious treats, and incredible prizes. Here's how it works: When you purchase £15 or more worth of snacks, sweets, and anime treats from Kawaji's website, you'll receive one of the NEW Juji characters in your delivery. But wait, there's more! If you discover the legendary Golden Juji among your goodies, you could win an array of incredible prizes that will make your heart race with delight. Imagine winning return flights to Japan, Japanese Rail Tickets to explore the captivating country, or a 2 Day Pass to the electrifying Kpop Flex festival! And that's not all—don't miss your chance to score a YEAR's supply of Kawaji Krates, packed with an assortment of mouthwatering treats that will keep your cravings satisfied. Even if you don't stumble upon the Golden Juji, fret not! There are still plenty of opportunities to win fantastic prizes. Keep your eyes peeled for Pig Oinksie Juji, who will reward you with a Free VPN from Windscribe, ensuring your online adventures remain secure. Cute Bunny Juji has a special surprise in store—a Blendjet 2 Lisa Frank edition that will add a touch of whimsy to your daily smoothie routine. Buzzy Bee Juji will grant you a pair of Acefast headphones for an immersive audio experience, while Tiger Cub Juji will light up your world with a delightful Pococo Room Light. And let's not forget Bear Cub Juji, who eagerly awaits to gift you a stylish Free T-shirt! The list goes on, with numerous Juji characters hiding in every order, each carrying a chance to win something amazing. It's a treasure trove of surprises that awaits you, so why wait? Kawaji is a treasure trove for all Japanese snack and candy enthusiasts, offering an unparalleled selection of delightful treats that will transport you straight to the vibrant streets of Japan. Here's why Kawaji is the ultimate destination for finding the best Japanese snacks, drinks, and candy: 🍜Oishii, oishii, oishii! Taking pride in curating a diverse range of snacks, drinks, and candies that cater to a wide variety of tastes and preferences is no mean feat, chibi! From traditional favourites to unique and limited-edition items, they have something for everyone. Whether you're craving savoury snacks, sweet confections, or refreshing beverages, Kawaji has it all. 🍵 They do big collabs, fam! That’s why we’re here: exclusive collaborations with popular anime and manga franchises. With top snacks like Hatsune Miku ramune and Naruto ramen accessories, they bring the worlds of these beloved series to life through delectable treats. It's a fantastic opportunity for fans to indulge in their favourite characters while satisfying their snack cravings. 🤓 Kawaji understands the passion and love that otaku culture holds. They go the extra mile to stock a wide array of cool otaku gifts and treats that will make any fan's heart skip a beat. From My Neighbor Totoro lunch bags to other kawaii merchandise, they offer the perfect items to showcase your love for anime and manga. 🤖 Hey Sensei, don’t you know Kawaii means "cute" in Japanese? Well it’s also a significant part of Japanese culture. Kawaji fully embraces this culture by featuring snacks and candies that embody the essence of kawaii. From adorable packaging to sweet and colourful flavours, each product exudes a sense of cuteness that brings joy to snack enthusiasts. 🗻 Kawaji is committed to delivering high-quality and authentic Japanese snacks and candies to its customers. They carefully select their products to ensure that each item captures the true essence of Japanese flavours and culinary traditions. When you indulge in their treats, you can trust that you're experiencing the genuine taste of Japan. Seize the opportunity, head to Kawaji's website now, and start your quest to FIND the Golden Juji! Unleash your inner snack enthusiast, embrace your love for anime-inspired treats, and let the adventure begin. As you delve into the tantalising world of Japanese snacks, sweets, and more, keep your eyes peeled, your taste buds primed, and your anticipation high. The search for the Golden Juji is on, and it's up to you to make this journey a memorable one! Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win incredible prizes, experience the joy of discovering new Juji characters, and indulge in the delectable flavours of Japan. Start your quest now, and may luck be on your side as you embark on the hunt for the legendary #GoldenJuji! For more information and to join the adventure, visit Kawaji's website today. #GoldenJuji #KawajiTreasureHunt #SnackAdventure

Remember how Department K created the ultimate weapon of Wolverine, Leech, Deadpool, Sabretooth, and Weapon H? They called the project Weapon X. Unwilling and willing mercenaries who did the bidding of the government in the name of “research”? Well that’s not what this article is about. At least, it’s not meant to be. “Listen, is it obvious I’m wearing six sweaters? In our increasingly interconnected world, the need for seamless integration and communication between different devices and software has become paramount. Have you heard of layer tech? Not to be confused with the layered technology process for software engineering. A few folks have been mooting the case for a one true operating system (and I don’t mean Linux, you crazy kids). Layer technology offers a groundbreaking solution to this challenge. Acting as a versatile software platform or motherboard, layer technology enables various services and applications to plug into a centralised operating system, creating a harmonious ecosystem that stacks from hardware to software in varying degrees of capabilities and depth (because you can’t compare an AMD chip with Instagram). Imagine layer technology as a stack of interconnected puzzle pieces, where each layer represents a specific function or service. These layers interact with each other to create a seamless and efficient user experience. By adopting this modular approach, layer technology allows for greater flexibility, scalability, and simplified integration of new services and technologies. You can call it an operating system, a networking process, you can call it anything you want but currently I’m all clunked-out by the lack of things that should naturally fit together and don’t because of shareholders, ego, money and everything else. If I want to listen to a podcast, I need a service to listen to it on. Honey, if you do a search you are going to find a million different services and the top three will be google, apple and spotify. The choice is chosen for you. Since Twitter bit the rope and stepped out of the door, ten thousand micro-blogging sites (because that’s what Twitter was originally) have popped up. Do we really need Threads, Mastodon, BlueSky etc? No, we just need a Twitter that we all use and can customise. Layer tech plays possibly the most pivotal role in sorting out this stupid metaverse mess once and for all by survival of the fittest, not, the richest (I hope those Silicon Valley asshats are reading this). Musk-understood I am possibly the only person in the world who feels a bit for Elon and Linda because I suspect that’s exactly why Elon bought twitter in the first place and has subsequently rebranded it. But before I tell you why I think every single supposed technology correspondent on this planet is a complete and utter bellend, it’s important that you can grasp the concept of layer technology first. Let's take a look at Elon Musk's visionary (and only proposed or hinted at) X platform. Now if you’ve got a brain cell or two, as I have—you won’t know a great deal about his plans—but you don’t need to be Madame Curie to work it out. This platform will eventually consolidate various services like Twitter, Paypal, Tesla, Starlink etc into one centralised operating system, accessible on users' PCs or mobile devices. Users will be able to carry a unified and interconnected suite of services in their pockets. Such a platform would offer the convenience of managing multiple applications from a single interface, streamlining daily tasks, and enhancing productivity. Now let’s imagine that it is also open and transparent. Do not forget that Elon is already the king of the share: from blueprints about EVs to developer tools, competition is fairly sparse when the competition is open to all. Harry Stebbings said it *But Kelly, this already exists in Microsoft, Google and Apple*—yeah but these things simply don’t talk to each other, don’t you think they should? Should device technology be independent of operating systems? We are already living through a venture capitalist nightmare of hothousing startups. What is the incentive for developers to create new and enterprising ways of expanding software to fit mass or individual needs? It’s not Visual Studio guys, I’m sorry if that doesn’t fit with your new world order. Technology is not a religion. Starting in the Middle The modular nature of layer technology offers numerous advantages. First and foremost, it simplifies the integration of new services, making it easier for developers to introduce novel functionalities without having to overhaul the entire system. This facilitates rapid innovation and allows users to enjoy cutting-edge services seamlessly. It’s an Ikea of development if you like, where the learning curve is steep in volume over time and the payoff is crossing the chasm. It’s the dream that all these tech bros have: the ability to monopolise technology. However, layer tech is about the principle of mass-ownership for mass-adoption, not single use technology which adapts because that just snowballs into a hyper acquisition model. Companies such as Twilio have rolled out the red carpet for developers, allowing their API to bridge events, tools or processes. In actively inviting this transparent development protocol, Twilio and many more are doing the work of OpenSource (which has been around for donkey’s years) and bringing this proliferation of open source software and tools towards interoperability. The Key, The Secret For layer technology to reach its full operating system potential, interoperability plays a vital role. Interoperability refers to the ability of different layers and services to communicate and exchange data effectively. Ensuring smooth interactions between diverse components is crucial for providing a seamless user experience. However, achieving interoperability can be challenging due to varying protocols, data formats, and security concerns. Developers must work together to create standardised approaches that promote seamless integration. I write about this quite a lot. One of the reasons I write about it so much is because organisations who say they are doing interoperability simply aren’t: they don’t have a grasp of it. They know what it means but they have no idea how to get to it. Creating interoperable assets means moving out of your industry sector and comfort zone. As an example, my company Nak3d works predominantly for the fashion industry, but our technology is built on games systems and protocols, therefore, our output is games and digital facing. Anything for immersive tech, immersive web and well anything games is what we do; but we are to all intents and purposes a PLM (product lifecycle management) service. My advice? Be very, very wary of developers who stay in their lane—when it comes to interoperability, that just can’t happen. Oh no, not the Metaverse Yes, that secret sauce coined by Neal Stephenson whose acolytes jizz at the merest mention of the “M”-word are getting a glow up. My glorious metaverse has been a hot topic in recent years, promising a virtual shared space where users can interact with each other and digital content in a three-dimensional environment. Layered technology is poised to be the driving force behind the metaverse's evolution, as it enables the integration of diverse virtual experiences and services within a single ecosystem. With this open and connective operating system as the backbone, the metaverse can become a vibrant digital universe filled with limitless possibilities. Developers can build and plug in new virtual environments, applications, and services, enriching the metaverse's ecosystem and creating a captivating user experience. Remember when Oliver Kern said the future of the metaverse is mobile? He’s still not wrong. Again, at Nak3d we work with digital marketplaces within the metaverse, creating seamless buying and selling of virtual goods and services, all powered by different layers from games and g-commerce to immersive billboards and in-game advertising experiences, it’s very unique to today’s metaverse, however: this is no different to the guy with the sandwich board in Second Life, moreover, what we’re doing is a more traceable and connective version which feeds many more masters than Linden Labs. And if social interactions excite you—maybe Breakroom or Yahaha or The Sandbox will be your collaboration tool. Why not? A place where social media platforms, communication tools, and virtual gatherings coexist within the metaverse will only create a cohesive and immersive social experience. It is inevitable that the metaverse will become a hub for various entertainment options, from gaming and virtual concerts to interactive storytelling experiences, all interconnected through layer technology. It’s happening now, but mostly inside walled gardens where you can watch Netflix and have a watch party. But Rakuten Viki is much more open and democratised by virtue of its subbing community. A bit of homework might be to try both and which one is more social for immersive viewing? I’ll wait, heck, I’ll even bring the popcorn. Challenge accepted or challenge Xcepted? While layer technology holds tremendous promise, several challenges need to be addressed for its widespread adoption and success in building the metaverse. Standardising protocols and ensuring data security will be critical to fostering trust among users and developers. Our old friend cybersec is back in business and I am telling you that if you have a young future tax payer considering going into one of the new technology sectors or unsure as to which course they should study, trust me on this: any security subject pertaining to the future of any technology should be front and centre of their studies. Not only is security vital, most systems are quite obviously compromised by meatsacks, so it’s cyber, network or basic bitch computer security to be the underpants that we must wear over our trousers. Did you know that the average cost of a single data breach in 2022 was $4.35 million? That’s why they get paid the big bucks. Tell your kids. I read a lovely update on linkedin the other day. A friend, who is a legend in the games industry, is looking to change the way we access games in the future for people who have special requirements or needs from hardware to software. It’s a shocking indictment that in 2023 we’re still building these one-size-fits-all use cases and products when we could as easily find a technical motherboard, free of ownership, filled with security and available for us to access with our own customisation. Here’s some challenges we have to solve before we head towards a layered world: The poverty gap - why do California-based hardware developers insist on pricing their products out of affordable integers? Expensive hardware and high-speed internet connections, make everything tech inaccessible to people with limited financial means. The digital divide - some regions or communities might not have adequate infrastructure to support seamless access to the metaverse, creating a digital divide between those who can participate and those who can't. The cultural divide - people from different cultural backgrounds are left behind from western or other societal developments this will most definitely lead to a lack of interest or engagement. If you don’t teach your kids about technology, how will they learn, create and develop? As we look to the future, layer technology has the potential to revolutionise how we interact with technology, simplifying our digital lives and unleashing the full potential of us as the tool to overcome technology’s biggest challenges. My work feed is currently separated by those who embrace the power of AI to streamline their products and services, and those who are afraid of losing their jobs. The divides even stretch to those who have ios versus those who have Android. Same for Windows and whatever-Apple’s-current-operating-system-is-called: Sunset Beach? The opportunities to do simple stuff is constantly hampered by tradition. These traditions are mega-tiresome: from using technology as the scapegoat for censorship to monopolies and corporate guardrails it’s all a bit meh isn’t it? Instead we could build great cities the size of a chip and enable rather than censure. Here’s how I’d do it if I could: Compelling Use Cases - X is a great one, if we can see we can be. If we see openness and transparency, we build for that. Solid Ethics - digital identity, digital ownership, and the impact on real-world social dynamics does not mean handing over a scan of your retina. One Platform UX - properly balanced experiences that allow intuitive interfaces or have a steep learning curve—steep learning curves are good UX—could enhance user experiences and onboarding for the less tech savvy. Hardware and software components - if you’re creating an open source layered universe, the bottom line is simple: don’t try and reinvent expensive wheels. Instead look at ways you can collaborate to make humanity (and your bank balance) a better place. Listen, it’s not all Elon Musk and kicking Silicon Valley, no way! There are a great many things wrong with X that if we give it some time we’ll be able to iron out the creases. But equally doing VR on a closed platform isn’t going to change our world either unless we pull down a few walls. Creating a new era in technology is always subject to Luddism; people are afraid of change. But plugging in familiar technologies or developing other ways to connect people and things is the obvious basis for IoT and a million other things. Layer technologies, acting as an operating system for everything, have a great deal of promise if we bring good ideas and stop trying to monopolise. There are enough people needing technology who do not have access to technology and enough thinkers and innovators to spread around the planet. What we need right now is something that brings us together in a positive way, bringing us closer to a world where the metaverse becomes an integral part of our daily lives.

In a world where technology constantly evolves, social media has become an integral part of our lives. But what if I told you that games have stepped up to become the new social media platform? Unless you’ve been lying in this wonderful sunshine sipping something sweet you will not have missed the amount of shameless grifters heralding games as the new social media. I just audibly sighed when I wrote that because even I cannot bear an in-game DM inviting me to buy NFTs at some special price. You will be well aware that games are no longer just a means of entertainment; they have transformed into immersive, interactive experiences that connect people worldwide. In this article, I want to know: are games the new social media? And if that’s true how will games navigate new user experiences and new users, and, do I really want my mum messaging me in CS:GO? RISE Games have come a long way since their early days of pixelated adventures. Nowadays, they offer expansive virtual worlds where players can connect, collaborate, and communicate with others. Traditional social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter focus on text, images, and videos, but games bring a whole new level of engagement by combining these elements with interactive gameplay. Imagine exploring a vast online universe with your friends, slaying dragons, solving puzzles, and embarking on epic quests together. Games provide a unique social experience that transcends the boundaries of traditional communication. You don't just send messages or post updates; you actively participate in shared adventures. Through voice chat, text messages, and even virtual reality, players can interact in real-time, creating memorable moments and building friendships that go beyond the digital realm. Timing is Everything Games offer a different experience compared to social networks. Social networks thrive on instant communication, quick updates, and scrolling feeds. Games, on the other hand, often require a longer time commitment to fully enjoy and engage with the experience. You can't finish an entire game in a few minutes like you can scroll through a social media feed. Instead, games provide ongoing journeys that players can explore over days, weeks, or even months. So why would game developers be quaking in their boots? It's important to note that games are evolving to accommodate shorter play sessions. Many mobile games now offer bite-sized experiences that can be enjoyed on the go, catering to users with limited time. Additionally, some games feature social features integrated into their design, allowing players to engage with their friends and community in short bursts. These adaptations bridge the gap between the lead times of games and social networks, catering to different user preferences. This is the rub. This is the warning klaxon. The convergence of time and entertainment over immersion and social gameplay is the thin end of the wedge for game developers. As one myself, I fear that games will be the 1% of the full social experience and that’s a waste of talent and quality. The reality is simple. Games are products. Products take time to make. They're not a repository for messaging, that's a bi-product. Sometimes we have to wait 3 years for our fave game to drop, and in that time we find other things to do. Social media isn't passive. Chatting in games mostly is. Even if we're engrossed in a flamewar on League of Legends, tomorrow is another day but the chat is often gone. On Twitter? Not so much. Social media judges us; games don't have the time to—we’re instanced but not walled in—we progress through stories, we don't stand and wait in line for likes after replies. It would be lovely to aspire to games as the panacea for everything that's wrong with social media but instead why don't we use games as something positive rather than use it as a stick to beat us all with? I'd love to see games as a new form of social media but do we need that much choice? Some of the best games ever made never see the light of day because of this type of suffocation. Games are to be discovered and played, they are to be enjoyed, they are communities to immerse into but can't meet the criteria of instant messaging that threads through life unless we stand still. It’s the dichotomy of development. Is the Medium Really the Message? Marshall McLuhan famously suggested that the medium itself influences how the message is perceived and understood. In the case of games as social media, the medium undoubtedly shapes the message. While social networks prioritise textual communication, games offer a more immersive and experiential way to connect with others. Should we jump from game to game to connect with folks? Not really. We find our tribe and we stick with them. Are you a Zelda person? Or a Destiny person? You're definitely a Facebook/Twitter/Insta person eh? Social is a genre for the internet in the same way that shooters are a genre of video games. Games encourage collaboration, teamwork, and creativity, providing a platform for shared experiences and deep social interactions—not just for messaging, messaging is a feature of everything else, not the only thing. Whether it's building and exploring virtual worlds in Minecraft or teaming up to conquer opponents in multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs), games foster a sense of community and camaraderie. I am the Law If you know anything about me. You know that I get pretty heated when I see platforms and products targeting kids but not respecting them. COPPA is naturally more handy than I’ll ever be, it’s just that I’m compliant. We might as well throw our hands up and admit that we have all been guilty of being lax towards protecting young people online. While there are concerns regarding the impact of social media inside games on younger player demographics, now could be a really good time to double down on proactive measures such as age-appropriate content, education, parental involvement, community guidelines, and research can help mitigate potential risks and create a safer and more positive gaming experience for young players. As with the free-to-play revolution of the early 10s we need to get serious about how games will evolve into more lifestyle focused products if the current press is to be believed. Minecraft and Roblox are just two huge platforms with a wide demographic, true, but the lion’s share of users is 13-18 or under 13s. Are we ok about creating a social media platform in this market space that we then have to control and moderate in LiveOps? Can we trust AI to do that? We might have to and that spells trouble for you with COPPA because absolute power corrupts absolutely. Enjoy the rat’s nest, people! Games have evolved from simple entertainment to potentially become the new social media platform, offering engaging and interactive experiences that connect people worldwide—but I hope not. Through immersive gameplay, a sense of community and social interaction, beyond what traditional social networks can offer, can be achieved, if we want it to. But we have to get wise, just because someone suggests it, it doesn’t mean it can just happen. We’re feeling growing pains, games are really growing up, and we’ve got to give games the tools they need to live independently—that means listening, learning and understanding our players like never before.

A dad-like man in a 19th-hole style sports shirt and a pair of acceptable slacks is standing on a stage. He means business. His name is Tim Cook and he’s talking about Apple Vision Pro. As far as the eye can see during that event in California, nerds cried. For people like me who look at the possibilities of the future, I felt more encouraged about this evolution of technology than ever before because finally I thought, we could solve some of the problems that the metaverse cannot. X-Ray Specs They Live! Wow, that's quite a film. Helmed by John Carpenter, starring WWF’s Rowdy Roddy Piper, the plot was bonkers for its time, but now? Well, judge for yourself: The protagonist discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world the way it truly is. Stop reading now! Stop reading! Ok, carry on: he wanders the streets of Los Angeles, and notices that both the media and the government are composed of subliminal messages meant to keep the population subdued. But it’s just a film, right? Spatial computing isn’t that new, hell, an abortive experience with Google glasses happened a few years ago because a) it was a flex and b) Google really wasn’t offering much more that we couldn’t already do with our actual eyes. So why would we even bother outsourcing our eyeballs to a computer? At its core, spatial computing is about creating a bridge between the digital and physical worlds. It combines technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and 3D mapping to understand and interpret our physical environment and overlay virtual content onto it in real-time. One aspect of spatial computing is augmented reality. AR adds a digital layer to the real world, allowing us to see and interact with virtual objects or information in our physical surroundings. It can be experienced through devices like smartphones, smart glasses, or headsets, enhancing our perception of reality and providing new ways to learn, play, and collaborate. Another component of spatial computing is virtual reality. VR takes us to entirely virtual environments, immersing us in computer-generated worlds. By wearing a VR headset, we can explore fictional realms, simulate realistic scenarios, and even travel to distant places, all without leaving our physical location. Mixed reality combines elements of both AR and VR. It blends virtual objects with the real world, allowing us to interact with both simultaneously. MR enables us to place virtual objects in our physical space, manipulate them, and have them respond to our actions in real-time, creating a more immersive and interactive experience. Get the Net Apple Vision Pro has been designed to be sleek, lightweight, and incredibly comfortable. Gone are the days of clunky, heavy glasses that distract you from your adventures—ish—they’re still very unwieldy. Though these glasses may have been designed and crafted with style and practicality in mind, ensuring that you can wear them all day without any discomfort: you will look like a bellend until at least 60% of the world population is wearing them. It’s got some other issues too—mostly stemming from the apportioning of technology where companies like Microsoft opt for MR vision for example, and Meta prefer VR and avoid the integration of all of it into their technologies. Spatial computing finds applications across a myriad of industries, shaping the future of entertainment, education, healthcare, design, and more. Entertainment and Gaming: Will this tech revolutionise the way we play and consume entertainment? I think so. It enables us to engage in captivating AR games that overlay digital elements onto our surroundings, creating unique and interactive experiences. Education and Training: In the realm of education, spatial computing brings abstract concepts to life through immersive visualisations and simulations. Students can explore historical events, dissect complex scientific phenomena, or participate in virtual field trips, enhancing their learning experiences, it’s seemingly much more than that horrible Meta advert Femtech and Healthcare: Spatial computing will enhance medical training by providing realistic simulations—if it isn’t already—allowing healthcare professionals to practise procedures in a virtual environment. It also supports telemedicine, enabling remote consultations and AR-assisted surgeries, improving patient care and accessibility. Design and Architecture: Architects and designers might really benefit from spatial computing by visualising and manipulating virtual prototypes within real-world contexts at speed and procedurally. It streamlines the design process, allowing for better collaboration, more accurate representations, and efficient decision-making. As with any new technology, social acceptance and cultural norms play a role. Wearing smart glasses that may look distinct or draw attention could lead to societal concerns or perceptions. It may take time for people to become comfortable with the idea of augmented reality glasses being a common sight in public. I mean, look around you, we are somewhere between They Live! and those horrendous stock images of women using VR, right now. Don’t Leave Home Without Don’t leave Home Apple's attention to detail in their vision of the future extends even to the user interface, with intuitive controls that make navigating the augmented reality world a breeze, but this isn’t news. This is Apple standard UI and UX. The user experience is so important to them, I’m surprised that they don’t make more of the CX. But even they might come unstuck, because interacting with a three-dimensional augmented reality environment through gestures and voice commands presents unique usability challenges. Oh does it ever. Connectivity anyone? I tried to play Township on my ipad pro at the top of a mountain the other day, it was way more annoying than the glory days of Nintendo DS’ limited connectivity. So, developing intuitive and natural interfaces that are easy to learn and use will be important to enhance the overall user experience. If we can control the augmented reality experience with simple and intuitive gestures, we should be able to join the dots of connectivity or what is the actual point? The problem lies in the obvious—some countries have free Wifi, some countries have only 4G, some 4G and 5G and some not much at all. No amount of fancy UI and UX is going to save you from a poor connection. It’s 2023. Why are we so fragmented? Spatial doesn’t exactly mean Space* The term “spatial” refers to the concept of space and how objects relate to each other in a three-dimensional environment. Spatial computing leverages this understanding of spatial relationships to create a more natural and interactive digital experience. It allows users to interact with virtual objects, manipulate them, and experience digital content in a way that feels as if it is part of the real world. Because spatial computing with a viewing device isn't just about fun and games there’s some big moods in the Vision Pro for us to explore work and productivity too! Visualising complex data, collaborating seamlessly with colleagues around the world, or stepping into virtual meeting rooms without leaving your desk, it feels very Meta and very Microsoft but a bit less pushy. Again if the brief is to cross the chasm, Apple will nail it. If the brief is to put the Vision Pro in the hands of everyone on earth, I’m not seeing it and not just because of price. I recently wrote about digital adoption for another publication, and I was staggered by the amount of rejection that initially came about from my suggestion that people still use crap Microsoft OS, tools and devices because it’s what they’re used to. My fear is that the one thing Apple could do to tip the balance will be the thing they forget to do because they’re too focused on everything else that hypes the device tech and not enough on habit and value pairs. When I first started talking about and writing about the metaverse, I pretty much had the Vision Pro in mind. I’m not an Apple acolyte, no way. But I am a hopeful dreamer and an optimist that the future will be a hybrid state of various technologies all joined up to make a big layer frame (rather than a static mainframe) or some kind of cloud frame where everything slots in. With Meta we had to live through the grift of everything being joined up but only if it was on facebook’s terms. I don’t deny that inside their walled garden everything is joined up. It is. However, Apple gives us a reluctant omniverse inside a walled garden. We’ve got the SDK, the glasses, and collaborative working opportunities. There are limitations but the obvious notwithstanding, the future looks good. (*It means freedom) The technology behind spatial computing relies on a combination of sensors, cameras, depth perception, motion tracking, and sophisticated algorithms. These components work together to understand the physical environment, track the user's movements, and overlay virtual content in real-time, creating the illusion of objects coexisting with the real world. It’s worrying to think that mass-adoption of any device that provides or retains that much tracking and data is safe in anyone’s hands let alone a massive tech giant. You know what I mean. Apple is known for its commitment to privacy and security, and Apple Vision Pro is no exception. Your personal data and experiences are safeguarded, ensuring that you have full control over your digital adventures. You can explore, create, and connect with confidence, knowing that your privacy is protected every step of the way. Crossing the Chasm While spatial computing offers tremendous potential, there are challenges to overcome. One challenge is the accessibility and affordability of the technology. Devices and equipment required for spatial computing can be costly, limiting its widespread adoption. Another challenge lies in creating intuitive and natural user interfaces that enhance the overall user experience. Efforts are being made to develop easy-to-use gestures, voice commands, and controls to make spatial computing more accessible to a broader audience. Spatial computing is bloody exciting though, I can’t deny that for a moment. As technology evolves, we can expect more advanced and affordable devices, improved user interfaces, and a wider range of applications. It has the potential to revolutionise how we interact with digital content and reshape our daily lives. If it’s only a glimpse of the future, it's an exciting glimpse that leaves us eager for what lies ahead. If Apple is continuously pushing boundaries, we can expect even more mind-blowing features and improvements from others who will follow their success criteria. As the technology evolves, spatial computing is likely to become an essential part of our daily lives, empowering us to see, experience, and connect in extraordinary ways. This is the original vibe of Oculus when Palmer Luckey was the driving force of a democratic VR. Today, and a little like the Vision Pro, we’re in this walled garden with VR—folks on the inside can afford it and they’re developing for it and loving it. The rest of us yearn to be a part of the inner circle but we can’t, it’s simply out of our reach. By seamlessly merging the physical and digital realms, spatial computing opens up new avenues for creativity, communication, and problem-solving. If this brings us closer to mass adoption of virtual, augmented and mixed reality, I’m all for it—I just can’t afford it right now.

If you’re coming up for air whilst writing your “10 ways You Can Optimise Users with Threads” guides for Linkedin. Stop. Even if it’s just for a moment, and look around you. What’s powering these cage fights and bragging rights? Data, of course. But data is only as good as its owners or its nourishment. In this fast-food era of data, the technologies supporting the communication of zeroes, ones, strings (and more) are also only as good as we are. More Moore’s Law A couple of years ago I sat in my home office watching Zoom where a guy—no more than 20 minutes away from me at ETH University in Zurich—talked to the audience about Edge and Quantum Computing. Yeah, I do enjoy a good lecture in between bouts of k-drama and late 80s techno rave binges. During that awful pandemic, the era of ever-increasing connectivity and data-driven applications, edge computing (and quantum computing) had emerged as a revolutionary technology that promised to transform the way we processed and analyse data. In a forum that ran alongside the lecture, there were the usual naysayers calling out edge computing as too early and quantum computing as Moore’s Law bunkum—but I was hooked mostly because as a kid I would read my dad’s Quantum Physics books like they were the Weekly World News. So when artificial intelligence came to us in a nice ChatGPT-shaped box: we were enthralled. It could do everything we ever wanted, and yet, as of today it’s flawed and you know it: it’s an unreliable witness sometimes and slightly old-fashioned in its (our) opinions. AI suddenly started doing everything we couldn’t, largely because we couldn’t be bothered. And today? Even less so. But AI has nestled nicely into our lives, it’s the perfect gift to our fast-food data desires even if it’s limited and it’s the perfect friend to IoT, isn’t it? Well, not quite. With the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the exponential growth of data generated at the network edge, traditional cloud computing architectures faced challenges related to latency, bandwidth constraints, and data privacy. That’s what the guy at the lecture started by telling us. But what I heard was something totally different. What I heard was the possibility that edge computing would bring to digital transformation shaping the future and compared to AI is a fundamental component in AI. Complementary, yes, today maybe, but necessary in the future? Absolutely. So I want to demystify edge computing and show you why this is all you’ll be thinking about soon. Get your Linkedin guides at the ready! Instant Karma Really simply: edge computing is about decentralising computing resources (CPU, memory, network, storage and possibly graphics) by bringing data processing and storage closer to the source of data generation. What usually happens in, say, cloud computing (which transmits data to a remote centre to process and analyse it first), is that edge computing does this before data jumps out into the cloud and does it by performing the task on the edge: usually the edge of the network. See what they did there? It can be done on IoT devices or on cute little edge servers. Why would anyone bother their arse to have all the data analysed and processed so close to everything? In the past we’ve used cloud computing for volume as it’s cost-effective; but that doesn’t mitigate risks—in some cases cloud computing has increased risks in managing demand and load because cloud computers belong to someone else. One of the main advantages of edge computing is its ability to minimise latency. Latency, or as we gamers call it: lag. That time delay between data transmission and receiving the data, is a critical factor in many real-time applications—of course in games we know this on both sides of the server. By processing data locally, edge computing significantly reduces the round-trip time between the data source and the computing resource. This low-lag environment enables time-sensitive applications like autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and AR—yes absolutely AR, to function seamlessly, ensuring rapid decision-making and enhanced user experiences. Edge computing has the ability to alleviate the strain or should that be—drain—on network bandwidth. I hope OpenAI is reading this! With the explosive growth of IoT (and AI) devices, sending all that generated data to centralised cloud servers can overwhelm network infrastructure. By processing data at the network edge, the edge computer can filter and aggregate the data, reducing the volume of information sent up to the cloud—cool eh? At a time of a cost of living crisis, even your working capital is gonna take a hit if you’re a business owner. Large scale projects would actually benefit in the long term by using edge computing right now. Your Stuff is Yours My fave subject—aka why-don’t-you-follow-Heidi-Saas-Debbie-Reynolds-and-Jackie-McGuire—data privacy and security! Wooo hoo! Listen it’s a simple doozy, use your edge network to keep sensitive information closer. That’s the tweet. Ok, I’ll extend it more and say that I live in a country that has banking secrecy, so cloud computing is never used for any information pertaining to individuals bank balances. But the same goes for health data, perhaps? For me, definitely. And look, let's just get all on the same page about Threads—I don’t care about another Meta product; the data brokerage is too much to bear. I want to be in control of who contacts me, how I’m seen and who knows what I’m doing or where I’m buying. You can opt out of most of this stuff by simply using providers like BitsAboutMe. I’m just sayin’—adding yet another Meta data mining source to your life doesn’t help anyone but Meta. Back to the subject! Edge computing addresses data privacy and security concerns by keeping sensitive information closer to its source. Sensitive data over any network needs to be compliant. By processing data locally, edge computing allows organisations to retain greater control over their data, reducing the risk of data breaches and ensuring compliance with regulations. Data is a currency, it’s something we should care more about. Rant over. Let’s Work Together Edge computing can actually complement cloud computing. There I said it. The best cloud computing tool at your fingertips that I’ve used has to be AWS by a country mile. By offloading all those data processing tasks to the network edge, cloud computing provides a virtually limitless storage and computational power. And though some applications require real-time processing and immediate decision-making, which may not be feasible in a centralised cloud environment, edge computing is a bit more flexible. Implementing edge computing solutions comes with its own set of challenges. The distributed nature of edge computing requires some solid networking infrastructure to connect edge devices and servers effectively. Expensive. Additionally, managing and securing a large number of edge devices dispersed across geographically diverse locations can be complex. And expensive. Organisations must also carefully consider the balance between local processing and cloud offloading, ensuring an optimal allocation of resources to achieve desired performance and cost efficiency. So a hybrid working environment of cloud and edge might suit and have broader appeal for businesses wanting to do it all. Web3 gaming for example, might hugely benefit from systems where real time data either needs to be parsed for blockchain or is being coupled or decoupled in micro feature updates etc. Go Further Without Moving Distributed architecture is everyone’s friend. Bringing processing capabilities closer to the data source using edge computing is a big mood. This decentralised approach allows for faster and more efficient processing by leveraging local resources. It also enables fail rates to get identified faster allowing us to fail quickly and iterate because technical failures in individual edge devices or servers do not necessarily disrupt the entire network—fab use cases! AI, on the other hand, typically relies on centralised cloud infrastructures, which can introduce single points of failure and limit scalability in certain scenarios. I bet you didn't think about that when you were dumpster diving through your chatGPT service. Yeah, that’s why you pay for it. The era of digital transformation is now and it’s a really golden age which has spanned at least the last 5 years without edge computing coming into vogue. But like that guy who did that lecture on the wet evening during the pandemic, I can see the light. Edge computing will play a pivotal role in enabling innovative applications and technologies, it has to. Readying ourselves for what happens next in our world, from pandemics to climate change is something that the last few years taught us. And technology is advancing towards convenience at such a revolutionary pace that it’s hard not to bring edge computing into the conversations as we plan our world. From smart cities and autonomous vehicles to intelligent manufacturing and immersive virtual reality experiences, edge computing's ability to process data locally and deliver that low-lag currency will continue to unlock new possibilities for us. Additionally, the convergence of edge computing with artificial intelligence and machine learning will facilitate real-time decision-making, predictive analytics, and personalised experiences. A lot of us have been waiting for the switch to flip for years now, and I’m ready. I’m here for it. Let’s go!

As the crypto winter continues into the summer for most people, those of us who love the art of the NFT are wondering what the hell is wrong with everyone. Winter Was Coming The year is 2021, everyone is losing their shit over Bored Apes to the point where people start referencing Bored Apes when describing literally anything to do with NFTs. Your friendly neighbourhood editor/NFT wrangler/metaverse architect and opinionist (that’s me) even wrote the book on NFTs for luxury and art (well, the whitepaper). 2022 came, and the first half was fairly ok, one might say buoyant, then came the crypto winter. The constant and then continued decline of investment froze the value of NFTs harder than a concept ice cream over at the Fat Duck. Crypto winter refers to a prolonged period of falling share prices in the cryptocurrency market. It is characterised by a significant drop in the value of cryptocurrencies and a general slowdown in market activity. During a crypto winter, many investors lose confidence in the market, leading to reduced trading volumes and a lack of new investments. The market experiences a downturn, and the overall mood becomes pessimistic. It should be said that the time was rife with regulatory uncertainties, security concerns, and market manipulation allegations, further contributing to the decline in prices. SBF? Terra Luna? Anyone? Bueller? This crypto winter so far has been a period of reflection and consolidation within the industry, allowing for the emergence of more robust projects and a healthier market ecosystem—that’s what I’m seeing anyway. Feel free to fight me though. What the crypto winter ISN’T is the end of days for the marketplace. Moreover, it’s a time to adjust, create and actually innovate. Eventually, a crypto winter should give way to a new bull market, leading to renewed optimism and increased market activity. Shooting Your Shot Try to think back to a time before you were performing mastabatory set pieces for your productive day-to-day using ChatGPT. NFTs were the bomb. Beeple’s forgettable arts, CrypToadz, Cool Cats, and Robotos. Some of these so-called "digital art" pieces were pedestrian as hell, but that didn't stop big-name brands from joining the NFT bandwagon in hopes of making a splash. Then came the dicks, the scammers and their stupid crypto crash sinks which took a toll on what the real NFT lovers, again, that’s mostly me and probably 12 other people before the daily trading of NFTs plummeted. The hype faded away, and many short-term NFT campaigns fell flatter than American lager. The short termism of NFTs forced the hands of actual creators, with solid non-fungible token ethos and experience, back to the drawing board or into their creative hole—whilst the dichotomy of shillers selling empty products took a punt on a possible payout. Luxury brands, however, put out the same construction of emptiness with nice aesthetics causing enough FOMO for every magazine, online journo and fashionista to call it “innovative” or as I call it: crap. During this time only a handful of big brands really grasp the nettle of the NFT and do something good worth investing in. These are mostly sports brands such as Nike, NBA, Adidas; but some smaller brands do beautiful collectible things too (because they get it). In 2021 HYBE (the powerhouse behind K-Pop phenomenon BTS) invested in Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, the leading cryptocurrency exchange in Korea: eyebrows raised, we were ready. But it’s 2023 and we're still arguing the toss about who is gonna win the NFT trophy? The answer is really easy, and in your hearts you know it’s true. No, the answer is not “no one”. The answer is “all the utility makers”. NFTs, Apropos of Absolutely Everything In that NFT standard I wrote back in 2021, the tl;dr is really simple: offer something to your buyers and it will protect your IP in the long term. The whitepaper discussed the importance of metadata in the luxury and art industries, particularly in the context of digital assets like NFTs. At the time I emphasised the need for a common framework that defines and populates metadata to ensure the value, authenticity, and control of digital assets—I’m pleased to report, two years later, that this actually happens now. In my argument I highlighted various aspects of metadata, including geometric data, export formats, digital rights management (DRM), value considerations, and descriptors. These things simply did not exist in NFTs at the time. NFTs by all accounts were empty vessels of absolute bilge. My primary goal was to establish a standardised approach to metadata creation that can be applied across the luxury and art sectors, providing protection for intellectual property and enabling future-proofing of digital assets. So I chose my favourite Louis Vuitton handbag, something which had never been done at the time, and still hasn’t been done with any level of complexity since. By illustrating the practical application of the metadata framework, I was able to underline the importance of considering dimensions, geometric data, export formats, and DRM to maintain the quality, integrity, and security of digital assets. The article also touches on arbitrage and future-proofing as aspects of value, as well as the significance of descriptors and tags in enhancing the utility and discoverability of digital assets. Here’s the thing that has happened since though—sensible operatives in this space are still vomiting into a void asking for someone to create a standard (guys, seriously, I already did it, it literally doesn’t need a rewrite, it just needs practical use cases) and then everyone else who knew it existed and chose not to use it because showing that you have empty assets is morally criminal and everyone knows that criminals rarely show their hand. So NFTs + Bad PR + Crypto Winter = Let’s rename NFTs to something else. It’s definitely plausible. In my work at least, the projects were being renamed as “digital collectibles” which is the same thing but not nearly as exotic as non-fungible. And, er, that’s not a bad thing. Digital Collectibles Need Love Too I was at Art Basel (in actual Basel rather than the crap one in Miami) this year. My startup did a mini-NFT collection with renowned Swiss fashion designer Claudia Guedel. One of the things that I noticed about the output of stuff at Art Basel as NFTs compared to me working within my own standard for Claudia Guedel was that art = collectibles. And that’s it. What would make more sense would be to double down on collectibles and use it for everything from fractional ownership, which, let’s face it, is a utility and an asset class. We could also double down on art by making it functional. I saw some wonderful installations, but only one which stood out to me as being something that was not collection dross; it was a sound installation. You all know the story of my NFT orgasm. Please ask me about it when we next meet, but suffice it to say, 2022 was one helluva year for interesting NFT experiments—back to the story! This sound installation was using spatial sound as an artform. What’s not to love? Well it was very limited, but really awesome. When I spoke directly to the artist, I asked him how many NFTs he’d sold, since this was an NFT exhibition as part of Art Basel. A long death knell chimed, followed by a ball of tumbleweed. “I sold the wall canvas”, he replied pointing to the image accompanying the soundwork. My brain started to hurt. “No one wanted to buy something they could hear.” Now I’m not being douchey but I’m pretty sure this has always been any record stores’—online or other’s—business model. If you make sounds, commercially-speaking, you get paid. This guy, whose talent was not in question, had failed to recognise the power of his own NFT pitch. As I looked around the exhibition space there were NFT works where the canvases were just to look at and were not for sale, and then there were postcards which served as the wall canvas for the NFT—again, all empty vessels. They invited the buyer to nothing. Zilch. Nada. Null. The moral of the story is simple. Everything is the NFT. That’s the model. Collection 1 the wall canvas, and the soundworks replete with spatial technology for 4 ETH. Collection 2 a partwork of the wall canvas as fractional ownership, each valued at 0.0015 ETH. Collection 3, 30-second stabs of the soundworks which when collected form a contiguous experience and the spatial add-on your’s for the bonus price of 0.0020 ETH. Because everything is the model, like with regular artworks, you are collecting the artist not the art. Capice? Here’s how the NBA does it: fans can collect rare NFTs by watching games, and these digital collectibles can unlock real-world rewards, like VIP access to meet NBA players at the All-Star Game. The game is the NFT, so is the team! So I’m kind of in the dark as to why people are still buying crap. But they are. Fans and customers will gladly purchase art or collectibles on the blockchain if they can easily access limited editions of their favourite band's new single, meet the Team Principal of their beloved Formula One team, or receive a substantial discount on their next haircut. Utility is very much alive, and NFTs must offer real value to customers. Bois of Summer NFTs are good. They offer us possibilities that we haven’t had in this generation/industrial age/technology epoch. But we’re simply scratching around for use cases because we are ill-equipped to create something this big. It affects quite a few frameworks that we’ve been really comfortable working in, such as economies of scale or loyalty systems. More importantly for the creator economy and I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, users need use cases and use cases are the vision of the user not the creator. So what if we do start to create with this mantra in mind? What if our users trust in us to give them what they actually want rather than what we think they want? What might that look like? Well, we can hypothesise easily with digital, more than physical because physical is really limiting for utility. Digital collectibles can be created with built-in utility, offering additional benefits or experiences to collectors, a leather football from your local sportshop can’t. For example, a digital collectible could grant exclusive access to virtual events, special in-game bonuses, or unique interactions within a digital ecosystem. By providing utility beyond mere ownership, these collectibles become more engaging and desirable to collectors. Let’s go back, let’s go back. Ecosystem, you say? Well these things don’t exist in a physical framework. We can’t give the physical customer what they want from an ecosystem, why? Because it would disrupt the economy of scale for that campaign/item/product. When digital collectibles are released as limited editions, creating a sense of exclusivity and scarcity kicks in. Look at Bored Ape and Mutant Ape? These collectibles shifted big volumes and made so much money for their creators. Alas, Justin Bieber did not fare so well. Collectors are motivated to acquire these limited items due to their rarity, which can drive up their value over time, sometimes. Limited edition digital artworks, fashion items, or virtual real estate are some examples where scarcity and exclusivity can greatly enhance their appeal. I haven’t mentioned interoperability yet, not least because even the biggest tech giants and the largest egos in this space still aren’t getting it (though they think they are). Digital collectibles can be designed to work across multiple platforms, games, or applications. This interoperability allows collectors to showcase their items in various virtual environments and creates a sense of continuity and value across different experiences. A digital pet collectible could be integrated into multiple virtual games or worlds (rather than just one), allowing collectors to interact with their pet regardless of the platform they are using. Digital collectibles might serve as personalisation tools, I’ll admit that I am certainly working on such a project currently—so I know this one works. Anyway, this concept allows users to customise their digital avatars, profiles, or virtual spaces. From collectible skins and accessories to furniture items which can be acquired and used to personalise characters, virtual homes, or even virtual reality experiences. This adds a layer of self-expression and individuality to digital interactions—and that’s ultimately what we want. NFTs (non-fungible tokens), provide a secure and verifiable method of proving ownership and authenticity. Add a splash of blockchain technology, and voilà, collectors can have proof of ownership and a transparent transaction history for their digital items. This is especially valuable in the world of digital art, where provenance and authenticity are crucial. Because digital collectibles can foster community engagement and social interaction among collectors. Connecting, trading, or even collaborating with other enthusiasts can create vibrant communities around specific collections or themes. This social aspect enhances the enjoyment and shared experience of collecting digital items. And where that happens, so too does the integration of social items into digital experiences. Gamification and progression are rewarded via engagement or achievements. Collecting rare or valuable digital items can unlock special rewards, badges, or in-game advantages. This incentivises participation and encourages users to engage with the underlying platform or game. The Long Game The nature of brand NFT activations is shifting. Maybe a move from short-term, opportunistic campaigns to fewer but larger and more long-term projects that form an integral part of a brand's core business strategy. Is this the way we should be moving? NFTs that can be used as access tokens, loyalty tokens, and identity tokens, providing users with exclusive rights, rewards for engagement, and opportunities for self-expression. However, as NFT adoption expands, ease of use becomes crucial—from wallet to resale we have to go bro-less. No more folded-armed messiahs guiding us blindly into the abyss because we don’t know how to use a wallet, please! I actually designed my Solo Wallet for this very purpose. I want mass-adoption, because if that happens, then we can really change the way we do everything and that will align us closer to a fully immersive digital future. Which, er, is what we want right? Simplifying the process of accessing and utilising NFTs will be key to their widespread adoption. The world of NFTs is evolving, and brands that are willing to embrace the opportunities and incorporate them into their long-term strategies will reap the rewards. With the right approach and an understanding of their target markets, brands can harness the power of NFTs to engage with customers in innovative and exciting ways. So far we’ve confused not just our peer group, but more importantly our users—the very people who rely upon us to innovate and develop new technologies for them. Digital collectibles are a great way to get us all on the same page, call them NFTs, hell, call them baseball cards, I don’t care, let’s just get back to the good stuff!

Feeling rested? Heart rate normal? Blood pressure somewhere in the middle? Great! Because it’s time to get back into the metaverse driving seat and make some sense of the flotsam and jetsam of floating crap polluting our devices (and our minds!) I’ve had a really fun time working on some cool stuff for the metaverse whilst you’ve been sunning yourselves, you’ve probably seen some of it out there; and like you, I’m thinking, when is the metaverse going to feel as settled, normal and somewhere in the middle as we are after a summer holiday? Answers on a postcard please…. 🎨 Rich People Stuff Iconic artist, Vera Molnar, saw her NFT collection reach an incredible $1.2 million at Sotheby’s. A fusion of traditional art and digital innovation, these NFTs are taking the art world by storm, apparently. I’ve always been of the mind that art is for everyone. If we elitise (if that even a word?) NFTs or art for that matter, no one gets to be a part of anything except for rich people. Whilst I’m super happy that NFTs are the new digital asset class for ownership or investment, I can’t take my reasoning away from these auction houses and artists doing what they’ve always done. Is it time for a revolution in this space? Why are we so enthralled by things that are out of our reach? Why don’t we instead support artists such as JAC from The Core or Krista Kim? I guess we’ll never know. 🏛 Screaming into the (Historical) Void I love the people who make The Sandbox, but again, I’m at a total loss to understand what in the name of the Parthenon Marbles is the point in brand activations on a platform no one actually uses. It feels elitist. Ah well. It’s probably me. The British Museum is making its grand entrance into the metaverse through The Sandbox, so what? There’s no one there. Exploring ancient artefacts and historical wonders in this immersive digital space is a total boon to both museums and to the immersive art sector, but what’s the point if no one is logging in? I have spoken to a gazillion people who are well versed in the ways of The Sandbox, but ask them the last time they logged in? They can’t tell you because they never did. They know who they are. My advice? Stop building brand activations and start doing some weapons-grade user acquisition activities instead. Find a way to keep this alive and make this a legacy: that’s what history is made of. 🤑 Deals or No Deal Deals is the new thing from OpenSea, the supposed NFT distribution platform, aka the Facebook of NFTs (a third party provider of social networking). It’s a mixed bag of confusion and joy for everyone I’m sure. This is how I feel about making a multi-million dollar company even richer by trading NFTs through some form of brokerage. “As with anything involving NFTs and money, it is best to do your own research before using a feature. However, given that it is an official feature from OpenSea, it is likely much safer than off the table transactions.” In the words of emo titans Taking Back Tuesday: I got a bad feeling about this. Secondary markets, trading and derivatives should offer a solid and secure middleman service - I dunno, some kind of escrow. Again, not an expert here but I know enough about NFTs to know there’s more scrapin’ going on than a front room wall on a bank holiday Monday. 🎮 It’s Esports, Jim, but not as we know it Esports pros are venturing into the exciting world of web3 and blockchain gaming—wait, what? Yes, Dota 2 and Rocket League stars are embracing the metaverse by exploring new possibilities in gaming and NFTs—wow, really? No. Not really. It's just that Esports are currently rubbish. This non-story from CoinTelegraph surrounds a bunch of Esports players who, having only won a toilet from a16z’s 9ct gold bathroom, are waxing lyrical about a genre that they know nothing about and never will. Quote “while he’s already looked into blockchain-based games, he has never tried them personally. However, the gamer said that he’ll start to get into it once the busy competitive gaming season ends.” No he won’t. Dota 2 and Rocket League get the merest of mentions because this story is all about the headline: NEXT! 💼 Meta's Mixed Results in the Metaverse Pfftt! I won’t put the oof into Mark Zuckerberg's Meta this time because I am concerned by the lack of basic sense in everyone from the Guardian to Business Insider. Let me say this one more time: THE METAVERSE IS NOT A DESTINATION, it’s a journey. The Neal Stephensons and the William Gibsons and other entitled soothsayers might proclaim the opposite, but technology is about evolution. Sure Meta faces a mixed bag of results in the metaverse but faint heart never won a fair maiden. Financial challenges and market struggles are testing the tech giant's mettle and you know what? That’s way more healthy than getting a $50-odd million investment that spaffs out of a sewage pipe and into nowhere after a year, don’t you think? Meta, for all its unfortunateness, is an unquestionable advertising platform to serve the metaverse, or layer software (à la X) that the metaverse is built on. You choose. I never thought I would defend Meta’s right to do anything but with their vast technology expertise, they remain the only decision makers in shaping their version of the future—can we just get rid of Nick Clegg? 🌌 The Usual Suspects Step into the future with Passage's AI-driven virtual world builder, or don’t, because this looks like everything else you will see this year: a rapper, a mediocre brand, a tech bro and a hippy with a guitar. Based in the British Virgin Islands (make your own minds up) this alleged “groundbreaking venture” has raised $6 million to revolutionise virtual experiences as part of a wider AI tool network. The metaverse is about to get a whole lot more generic! Do Something Less Boring Love AI but don’t know where to start? Start off by being lazy and it will all just fall into place. For example: I can’t be bothered making websites, can you? Go out into the garden and do something else. It’s much nicer out there. Getting your first rung on the arms folded tech bro CEO image ladder is a tough game. Make it waaaay easier with AI. And er, sit back and watch the dollars roll in* Analyse this! Put your spreadsheets in and get the questions out. It’s like the hokey cokey but without the fuss. Wow what’s that? That big glowing ball in the sky? It’s so warm! I could really do with a huge strawberry sundae but I’ve got this pitch deck to finish off. If only AI could…. YES. And put a cherry on top! The airport novel, an institution, but now with added Snoop Dogg.** *Dollars not guaranteed **Gwyneth Paltrow is also available for more than just airport novels THAT'S ENOUGH METAVERSE FOR THIS WEEK. Please don’t forget to participate in our amazing Machine Learning section at Metacrun.ch, and, you can catch up with the latest and the greatest of opinions and thoughts about the metaverse, web3 and everything in between by spending some time on loo reading our blog.

The future is relatable. That would be the conclusion that I would make before I've even completed this self-indulgent retrospective. So you can go back to your No Man’s Sky or your BAYC collection, thanks for reading. But wait a minute, what I want to say is that the near future and the distant future are getting harder and harder to predict. When we’re reaching for comparisons about what the metaverse “looks like” we always reach for those old farts Stephenson and Gibson, or even Ernest bloody Kline to explain our deep desires for how we want the metaverse to be. We talk extensively about films such as The Matrix or anything that's Snow Crash-related in order to describe the vibe. We also indulge in our feelings from Hackers to Ready Player One, it’s all so limiting (unless you are a dude). We have these weird mixed visions, usually of movies, because of the aesthetic, and we put a pin on the map anywhere between Tarkovsky’s Solaris and Spielberg’s Minority Report. There are no wrong answers except for us always coming to the same examples over and over again. The Outliers The homogeneity of the western hemisphere, the west and post-WW2 attitudes to the future, for me at least, is a bit formulaic. What about the Asia Pacific regions? What did their vision of the future look like, and why didn't they tell us? What do they know about the metaverse, innovation and the future? Turns out, quite a lot. Have you read The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin? Or even Xin Zhongguo weilai ji by Liang Qichao? What about The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter or Tetsujin 28-gō? I love me some mecha futurism. The language of aesthetics in direct comparison to the philosophical drivel of navel-gazing in the west sort of formed a critical mass in the 1990s/2000s. Split Second, The Matrix, and basically any Alex Proyas film of that decade was either a melting pot of dystopia or symbolic of a weird hopefulness that destruction was our ultimate destiny but that it was never going to happen in this lifetime. Yeah, imagine watching 12 Monkeys knowing that there has just been a global pandemic. Try it. It’s terrifying. When everyone was living the Y2K realness in the west: half-enjoying the MTV zeitgeist whilst also fake-petrified that the world might end, I was in Japan. In the UK, US, and Europe, unless you were a database administrator—because those folks were facing increased overtime and an overwhelming sense of the ultimate anticlimax—you were using the language of the time to convey your fatalistic approach to 2000. You started using words like post-apocalyptic, dystopian, futuristic, virtual, etc; yet in games and entertainment outside of films, you weren’t really seeing anything we could pin our future selves onto. Fred Durst? HA! No chance. The Gilmore Girls? (—ok, we’ll give Dark Angel the benefit of the doubt). But I was in Asia, where science fiction is either part of the national consciousness (Mecha, Japan) or threaded into bigger narratives (Danmei, China) and sometimes canonised. The Y2K nihilism blew from the west to the east with ease landing with a lasting effect. I wanted to look at two key films from the Asian Pacific region of the Y2K era: The Avenging Fist (Hong Kong, 2001) and Moon Child (Japan, 2003), which I feel typify the feeling of this metaverse currently, or more importantly the postmodern future in direct comparison to say Until the End of the World (US/Europe,1991). The Future is Miserable and Sad Moon Child opens in the fictional Mallepa in 2014, a time when Japan suffered a major economic collapse and people were forced to emigrate to mainland China. Bizarrely, and somehow appealing to all the things I like, this is a story told through the eyes of two vampires, the idea of which is the most ridiculous concept of all time (again, this is my jam). How on Earth anybody came up with a film plot that involves gangsters and vampires in post-apocalyptic Japan and China in 2014 is beyond me, but this can only come from the mind of Gackt. Some people say that Gackt Oshiro is a living god. His entire career has been built around aesthetics from the visual kei of the 90s to huge stage productions that bring together traditional Japanese stylisation like Noh, Bushido, Kei and Shironuri. Hyde, his co-star in Moon Child, is of a similar heritage (L’Arc en Ciel), and those two appear to be part of a handful of talent that breakthrough to the west through our phenomenal appreciation of everything Japanese of the 80, 90s 00s - my fave being Rei Kurosawa. But look, on the surface this feels like an idol movie. Think Spice Girls: The Movie, Hard Day’s Night, or that weird One Direction movie, and yes, of course you’d be close to that. However, this movie particularly sexualises these two idols and places their sexuality as part of the plot device rather than something we might ship in our collective fangirl/fanboy imaginations. Fandom, I have written about before, makes our synapses respond in more irrational ways, so when I see fanfic about everyone from Harry Potter to Harry Styles, you know that this isn’t new, but somehow Y2K’s approach to especially Gackt and Hyde is a definite move in the direction of what we saw when someone made that Untamed space in The Sims. Where we can create worlds, as fans, we will. Hyde plays Kei, a young vampire, who travels to Mallepa with Luka, presumably his maker. Luka ends his life early in the movie, leaving Kei alone to look for a new gang of vampires/non-vampires. I’m a vampire aficionado. I've already written 4 books in this genre, but this film has nothing to do with vampires. If anything, Kei spends the entire movie trying to distance himself from his cursed existence, and though we don’t forget it, what we do acknowledge throughout is what a shitty world Shō (Gackt’s character) and Kei live in through the generations. Because Mallepa isn’t aligned with anywhere specific in Asia—it has some bits of Taiwan, China, even Vietnam or Thailand about it—it’s so hard to pinpoint exactly which shitty post-economic collapse we are searching for because it never gets better. Children live in feral cabals and turn to petty crime before, in Shō’s case, stealing, killing, and eventually becoming a crime boss of a gang himself. The buildings are wrecked, derelict or destroyed by poverty, greed and the ravages of time. Shō spends most of the movie fighting his urge to become a vampire; effectively becoming all-powerful because Kei won’t make him one. Shō becomes rich beyond his wildest dreams, and Kei remains a vampire. Shō’s greed and hunger are in contrast to the meek and humble accidental vampire of Kei’s character. What they’re trying to show us is almost cliche: that hunger for blood or money drives you to do anything to simply get by. We’re getting much closer to a world of economic collapse, so seeing Mallepa as a collection of the world’s biggest trading nations falling to dust (enjoy the colour grade, people), is a truly horrifying prospect in the extreme. But most importantly and more frightening is that the rest of the world is never mentioned. Almost as though it doesn't exist. It is so focused on the dystopia and the post-apocalypse of a collapsed economy, that it fails to identify the reasons why and why should it? It’s left to us to decide. It’s a good hour too long, and it’s an obvious nod to what we now take for granted in a world of live-action anime, because Moon Child has such an amazing comic-book or manga approach to its core story and the aesthetic around it. I really liked that ability to be able to see the world in that way (and if you like that too, also watch Bunraku). And it is heavily influenced by Alex Proyas or Wim Wenders (even Jim Jarmusch) to lend that European cinema element to it. The multiculti cast includes Wang Leehom, playing the one-time friend and long-term enemy of Gackt’s character Shō. Wang Leehom is a Hong Kong actor and singer of great repute, making this an almost supergroup of a movie. An Ocean’s Three of the who’s who of idolatry. Moon Child as a metaverse concept is prophetic enough to earn its place. The influence that this world of poverty, feral packs of children, and crime, etc is something akin to the sleek definitive of Minority Report, where there is a sinister underbelly of desperation between the haves and have-nots. The Future is Fatalistic This is also evident in The Avenging Fist (Kuen Sun 拳神), directed by Lau Wei-Keung and Yuen Kwai. This is another idol movie, but with a slight twist, because as a Hong Kong action movie, this one has Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao at the choreography and acting helm as Dark and Thunder respectively. Look, I’ll level with you, this is one of my favourite movies ever made, and it’s terrible. The blurb seems tempting enough: Future Hong Kong is ruled by the tyrannical Combat 21. Nova (Wang Leehom) sees his aunt murdered and his sister kidnapped by a mysterious man in an iron mask. Nova believes this is due to Combat 21 blackmailing him into giving up his secret martial art technique, The Avenging Fist, taught to him by his father and contained inside something called the Power Glove. It’s basically Tekken but without paying Capcom millions of licensing Yen. You literally know what you ate getting from a Hong Kong Action Movie, let’s not try and dress this up. In a world where weapons are banned, there must be flying kicks, Jeet Kune-do, Wing Chun, a touch of Jackie Chan (please also watch Hung and Biao in Project A) and a lot of futuristic green-screened backdrops of flying cars and neon. In a world not too far away from Spielberg/Kubrick’s AI, there is lawlessness, focused on a rooftop fight club where to get the information you need you’ve gotta win, and that’s where the Hwoarang-style Tekken-esque Stephen Fung as Iron Fist joins forces with Nova to find his sister and break Combat 21. Yeah, it’s headstrong and youthful, but it is so goddamn rich in metaverse stuff. From fight training simulators and Halo-inspiring environments with 500m wide screens on the side of megastructures to the glitched rendition of Happy Birthday from 4 or 5 Gigi Leung avatars of what we might now call mixed volumetric capture and delicious on-demand food from a post-Star Trek replicator. E-scooters, fingerprint activation on mobile devices, even ChatGPT, it’s all there. But this film gets slated regularly. It feels on the outside like the Hong Kong version of Blade Runner, but this film has no depth beyond the aesthetic. It’s trope-filled and that’s ok, this is a Hong Kong action film, it’s allowed to. Please don’t tell me that you have watched Drunken Master and thought to yourself, wow, Jackie Chan is like Bob De Niro: he isn’t. Hong Kong action movies are not there to make you think about, well, anything really, except maybe for fighting. However, this one really did make me think. This film is aimed at people of Wang Leehom, Stephen Fung, and Gigi Leung’s age. When I saw this movie in Tokyo, in 2001, I was 28. It was the most exciting thing I had ever seen, and I had seen Solaris and The Matrix. I couldn’t relate to Silent Running back then, and 2001: A Space Odyssey was something that my dad watched, why would I watch it? Everything that The Avenging Fist gave me is everything I see in the metaverse inclusive of the old codgervision of Stephenson and Gibson. So did Lau Wei-keung and Yuen Kwai make a bad movie? Not really. They made a lasting impression on me, and who knows, maybe even Gackt and Takahisa Zeze just a year or so later. End of the Road So why did I fail to make the comparisons to Wenders’ Until the End of the World? Mostly, I think, because Until the End of the World, which came a good decade before The Avenging Fist and Moon Child, you can find your way back to Wim Wenders through these two cyber road movies. Gackt and Hyde travel through time using basic vampirism as the vehicle to shine a light on the economic crisis of their particular age. Whereas The Avenging Fist is focused on the road movie from the perspective of tech. It’s the tech that moves, not the people. Until The End Of The World is obsessed with destroying the planet and everything on it. It’s 1999. That’s a mere 8 years in the future from when the film was made. Moon Child’s obsession is humanity, and it’s set in 2014. The Avenging Fist is obsessed with tech telling the truth about the horror of the world, and sadly for me, only set in the “future”, whatever that means. What all of these have in common is their particular vision, whatever year or “future” it is, is borderless, similar, and familiar. Moscow, Shanghai, and the urban sprawl of Paris are assimilated into the director’s vision of what the future looks like, a little like Speilberg’s approach to AI and Minority Report or the Wachowski sisters’ vision of Chicago (I would even throw Total Recall in for good measure). We don’t look at Mallepa and think wow that’s soooo Taipei or Nagoya, do we? We don’t watch The Avenging Fist and understand that it’s quintessentially Hong Kong. How could we? But there is a true commonality in the aesthetic which carries through all of these films from Sam Farber’s EEG device to Nova’s Power Glove, and let’s not forget that Shō’s secret weapon was definitely Kei. As someone who has been building and writing in this middle ground between light and shadow, call it the metaverse, or digital worlds or video game environments, I am fascinated by what the future looks like. There’s so much to lean on, but it’s these three movies, awfully received as they were at the time, that feel the most like how I perceive my metaverse experience and existence. If we have anything to thank Y2K for, it’s the challenges and opportunities that four digits gave us and for now at least, will continue to drive and repel us.

Whenever I write, it’s usually to explore the possibility of a bunch of ideas or experiences converging or moving towards an apex, it’s usually pile-driven by me being a basic bitch about the things I love and that which is simply vile. Thing is, I just came back from London, where I have been bombarded with a bunch of ideas and experiences that I’ve lived through, I know all the stories, and I know where the bodies are buried. Is Gen Z a useless generation or really just a rebranded Gen X? The Beige And The Grey (/Black/Brown) Usually, I live in a country where the standard uniform is to wear clothing with as many drab tones and as much mum-function as possible. I recently did a metaverse lecture where one of the students was the son or god-help-me grandson of a very popular 80s electronic group. I looked at what he was wearing and asked him to reel off his fashion. “Well this is from the Sally Army,” he referred to his brown Farrahs: ok so far, then, pointing to his t-shirt and scuffed Dunlop Green Flash said “and this was my dad’s, and these sneakers are from a friend’s dumpster.” He paused, “the moustache is my own.” He joked. Yikes. Looking like John Oates, his wet Jheri curls seemed ironic against a backdrop of brand-focused fashion-conscious 20-somethings who were over-aware of their status in the food chain. This irony continued as I made it through the streets of London, only this time, I was the ironic iconoclast in my Target jacket and pink hair. London fashion is dry, uneventful, and tired. Surprising because, it wasn’t so long ago that we were more adventurous, even to the level of the Swiss John Oates but without the mix-and-match-that-somehow-works aesthetic. In London, the unstylish are well-thought-through. The point I’m making is that these brown, beige, and grey/black uniformsters are our user base. Are they colourful and avant-garde in their daydreams? Are they afraid to rise above the street level of oil mixed with London rain hues? Do you need to be colourful and vivacious to be remembered? Yes, yes, yes, all of these things are important to metaverse and game developers because they are, in a way, all of us. In Japan, there’s a system to describe this human condition and I love it: the honne–tatemae divide. Honne (本音), quite simply, is the private self, and Tatemae (建前) is the public self. The expectations of us are deflected by the facade we have to protect who we are. What society expects from us is not always who we are, and this is not a new phenomenon, no way, this is a system of self that was first identified during the post-WW2 war era of Japan. In the 1970s, it was a Professor Takeo Doi who wrote about the Anatomy of Dependence, identifying the importance of this to the growth of cultural events. 50 years later, we have secured an almost transcendence of knowing our honne and tatemae in everything we do, from walking wet London streets to basking in the neon of a post-conference booze up in Shoreditch. It may have shocked our parents or Gen Z’s grandparents to discover that all is not as it seems but we’ve grown with these feelings. We know who we are. Don’t we? Bad Influences Walking down Oxford Street and a colleague tells me that a can of PRIME is going for £20. A CAN. Who the actual eff has the money in an economic crisis to both sell and buy Prime? Two icons of the late Millen-early Gen-z age have made, let’s face it, a really rubbish energy drink that I would only use for cleaning my toilet, and the kids don’t like it much either - so why is it the biggest thing of 2022 and 2023? Content. No, not of the drink, because, well, that’s just lame. It’s what you’re getting from or with the drink. You’re getting Tik Toks, YouTubes, and drama. You’re getting WWE Wrestling at the end of the day: kay-fabe which if you live in the west (and now Japan), is way more lucrative than k-drama. It’s about being seen, feeling seen, and being part of something bigger, wider, and more important than anything. It has not failed the autonomy-mastery-purpose formula. Anything that starts with a boxing match and ends with a drink between friends is a beef you want to be a part of. Not since I threw my shoes at my then boyfriend's side-piece have I seen more beef. Wait a minute, I got the side-piece in the end, so, that’s worth more from a time when smartphones were called carphones. When Gwyneth Paltrow launched a million nonsensical healthy things (how is that going btw?), Bella Hadid said hold my pint of Coachella fizziness, I need to make something that will “awaken your heart”. Kin Euphorics costs $57 for a 12-pack of 236.5ml cans. Girl, I just don’t know if I have the will to buy a drink that depends on you. Sure, the ingredients seem fun enough: a herbal mix of all the good stuff, which you know you could buy as a supplement if you wanted. Side note: I had a vegan friend, once upon a time, who didn’t want to sully her insides with meat (because that’s murder) however, she did coke as often as I change my mind. Is this Kin the kind of thing I want to do to reach sobriety, because it feels fake. And am I ready to get sober with a bunch of supes? If you squander your youth on mindlessness you will definitely forget what Purdey’s tastes like when you are 49. We’re in a very strange place right now, it feels like Brawndo has what plants crave when we have enough time to save the planet; we just can’t be arsed with it all and outsource our thinking to influencers. Remember when Kim Kardashian had to pay $1.26m in penalties to the SEC over crypto? Yeah, it was only 4 months ago. SEC Chair Gary Gensler said, "This case is a reminder that, when celebrities or influencers endorse investment opportunities, including crypto-asset securities, it doesn’t mean that those investment products are right for all investors." The Lipstick King, Austin Li has a following of over 64 million followers on TaoBao. That’s no mean feat. He sells lipsticks out in seconds, and his fanbase trusts him to provide them with a solid product. In a way, he’s no different to his western contemporaries but what Austin Li is doing is technically verboten. Jing Daily reported on China’s crackdown on Sissy Men back in June of last year, earmarking celebs such as Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo (read about them in my previous Metacrun.ch article here). However, removing such influencers and endorsements might work for the government on beauty products, but Austin Li works solely on lipsticks. He’s earned his right to be there. I’ve just completed an amazing k-drama where in episode 5, an influencer was hired on numbers alone. The content would be provided and “packaged” by the influencer. It was as simple as her holding a purse and live streaming on insta. She smiled and talked gushingly about the product before stopping the livestream and po-facedly telling the fashion PR that (the product) wasn’t all that and where’s her money? It reminded me of a short story collection I wrote in 2016 about young men and women (called the Young Neues) who had been trafficked into the world of the influencer where they had become a borg or a hive mind, assimilated to just one thing: influencing. Though the backdrop of the story, the Mid-Levels in Hong Kong, was in ruins, everything that was front-of-camera was pristine. It’s 2023 now and though set in the near future: the Mid-Levels aside, not everything is as it seems IRL until the cameras roll, eh? The Metaverse As A Service Some of the things I hate about influencing are some of the things I love about influencing. You could say that my thought leadership in Metacrun.ch is a form of influence. I give you a good run-through of the best and worst of tech, web3, and metaverse stories of the week in your inbox, but I’m also terminally catty about metaverses because I actually go in and experience them—they’re not always amazing. In Davos, I recently discovered that she who has the mic wields the power. But you can’t just go around saying or doing stuff because we want to hear it. You have to be authentic. The same goes for metaverses. Putting stuff in a metaverse just because you can is a bit stupid, don’t you think? Yet here we are in 2023 where the 10 worst brand collabs in metaverses have been detailed in all their glory. I ain’t mad at all, but I am jealous, jealous that I wasn’t even saltier as to report on what I actually think about anything that goes into, say, Roblox (other metaverses are available). So whilst you are being fed a constant stream of nonsense about the metaverse and how it will change the way we buy and the things we do, just remember that not only do we have these 10 cringemeisters but we also have a good handful of the worst NFT drops too. Porsche, who backed a dead cert in the race, were left red-faced when only 17% were sold. It’s hubris, plain and simple. The execution was lad at best, suggesting to me at least that one of the world’s most exclusive automotive companies had absolutely no clue who their end user or buyer might be and simply went with 0.0911ETH in a bear market. When we make a start on metaverse influencing, we need to think about the bigger picture. A bit like our frenemies KSI and Logan Paul, they didn’t take 6 weeks to do PRIME, because their careers started in 2009 and 2014 respectively. This didn’t happen overnight. They didn’t wake up one day and make themselves spokespeople for lame-tasting energy drinks and white-collar amateur boxing. They didn’t write a book about Youtube and became a Youtube sensation addressing Youtube conferences around the world despite not owning a single channel. These guys grafted. They grafted and they crafted. They learned their chops and built a trusted network of fans, and if you know anything about fandom, you will be aware that fans will go anywhere for their idols. You know how I feel about Jungkook and if you don’t why are you still reading this? What KSI and Logan Paul offer, apart from a box of fake Pokemon trading cards, (but real GI Joe cards,) is authenticity in everything they say and do for their fans. BTS do it too. When authenticity messes up, it usually apologises, it dusts itself down, begs for your forgiveness and you accept it. Austin Li made a catastrophic error in June 2022, and what followed was an e-commerce blackout, plain and simple. Never complain, never explain. When half-cocked campaigns show up with shady business leadership or hoaky brand collabs you eat it like fast food and you move on with your stomach still empty of nourishment. Metaverses or whatever they are calling themselves this year need to wake up. The autonomy-mastery-purpose method is an integer out of range when there is a marked lack of authenticity from day one. When I deliver workshops on this I compare autonomy to the first day at school. What am I doing here? Who should I meet? Where do I go? What’s my raison d'être? If you fail that first-day scenario, no amount of NFTs, Discord channels, and PR will bring you back from the 0.0911ETH dilemma. Mastery is a bit like getting to level 20 on Candy Crush, everyone has done it and everyone knows how a match 3 works. They simply have to do it rather than try and beat it. It’s about checking in, doing good, getting gems, and sharing progress or earning progression. Purpose is stanning. It’s about not only buying PRIME drinks, but also Tik-Tokking it, blogging it, and getting them numbers. It’s about joining the KSI and Logan Paul team, driving the strategy, and onboarding the newbies. It’s the transcendent part of the experience and it isn’t achieved without autonomy and mastery. Generation Next In 1997 the Spice Girls did a brand collab with Pepsi a full 2 years before The Matrix came out. We were already post-rave and hungry for a new world. We’d changed over political leanings, president, prime ministers, and we were in the middle of a few civil wars. Some style icons had died, some celebrities were about to break the hearts of millions, yet somehow each element of our daily lives even as far back as 25+ years ago we were living honne and tatemae in Gen X. Honne and tatemae, especially tatemae is not some panacea to enhance influence, moreover, we used influence to enhance honne where our lives were without smartphones and indulged by MTV (After Hours anyone?) and tatemae where we were careful to be seen in the best places with the best faces. As Gen Z is failing to be understood by pretty much everyone, I think I can see some similar patterns emerging in Gen Z that we had in Gen X. The honne, that private self is a thing now that young people are rejecting the constraints of non-stop communication by carrying vintage Nokia, Motorola, and even Samsung Prada’s around (if you can find them) to take calls only. By the way, they got these from their Gen X parents and wild aunts—I’m just saying. They’re turning their back on tech and focusing on themselves. But, they’re also embracing technology by making it open. The tatemae of this piece is about platforms like BeReal and Telegram and Discord rather than Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook. Please. No cares about walled gardens, especially not those places where your mom can find you. Their view is simple, we will be present but we can change our minds. We didn’t have this choice in Gen X—we got what we were given and we were expected to stan it and share the love as though it were some weird MLM. It’s 2023 and the amount of data Gen X have pumped about the place left us feeling a bit broken and tender (rather than Tinder). So web3 aside—what’s the point of using the metaverse for branding and collabs if the young neues want to be seen on their own terms? Simply, it’s about the creator and the creator economy. If we’re creating things as developers that we think our audience wants, we are wrong. I think I told you recently that my kid cousin spent Christmas Day night playing the hits of George Michael through some in-Roblox app, she doesn’t even know who George Michael is, but that wasn’t the point. She wanted to earn some new tools to build something for herself. And when you learn, you earn. Look at Hundo: they’re doing excellent work with the cultivators of tomorrow in finding ways to educate and inspire through a chained/unchained NFT process of access and validation of education. Goodbye degrees, it’s been fun. Honne, Honey Gen Z doesn’t care about your book, do they have the time to read? Nope, they’re out squandering their youth on their tatemae. Only when they are able to come through the digital mass will they find that honne, the thing that they care about, their true selves. And that true self stuff might well be stored on-chain, as NFT, with an eternity of utility of living by doing, of earning by learning. You see, web3, the metaverse and all that lovely cyberism need a simple organisation of mechanics involving autonomy, mastery and purpose to get shit done. Your Gen X footprint makes no impact in a vast multiverse that doesn’t need flim-flam merchants. It needs content, people power, and freedom. It needs the room to learn and not be judged. We already know this to be true because for our generation it’s a lived experience. It’s like a game of snake, after that first death screen we learn, fast, and then we assimilate, monopolise, and project. Let them tell you what they want, and in return, you can help them to find what they need.

It’s 30 years this year since I started working in the video games industry. In that time I’ve seen everyone lose their minds at one time or another. From the use of computer aided graphics and back again, the physical disc and its nemesis the download. The rise and phenomenal rise of free to play. And now the fight against web3 and blockchain gaming. We’re always moving forward, like Time’s Arrow towards the future - that’s how tech works. Like a well-designed machine, the future is refined on a daily basis towards our personal perfections and dreams. That’s why I’m so excited to open the world of Metacrun.ch to the world: we are a collection of curious minds that sit somewhere between the science of technology and the psychology of fun. Metacrun.ch Is All About You Whether you are looking for the latest and greatest in digital fashion or you want to learn more about the practicalities of the metaverse, then this is the place for you. But that’s not all. This news outlet is yours. We want your comments! We want your input and we need your final casting vote. That’s right, Metacrun.ch is all about you! What do you want to read more of? How do you want to receive that information? Podcast? Video? Push notification? You decide! "I’ll curate my favourite stories of the week and parcel them up in a pixelated bow for you to peruse and be amused all the way through your working week.” I’m really thrilled to be getting under the skin of the metaverse and everything supporting this brave new world from web3 tools to deep tech. And as usual you can expect the no-holds barred commentary of everything amazing and downright sucky about this elevated superhighway. What You Can Expect I’ll curate my favourite stories of the week and parcel them up in a pixelated bow for you to peruse and be amused all the way through your working week. I’ll throw in some gossip, some higher knowledge and more importantly I’ll give you the facts as I receive them on the most up-to-the-minute stories in our weird and wonderful sector of industry. Oh, and this is important, we won’t sell you anything unless you vote for it. Each week you will be able to choose who advertises on our site and that will help you to understand the brand or the product much more because we’ll write about it and share it with you as honestly as we can. Finally, we’ve got drops. Loads of drops. Do you want to try the most amazing, the latest or the crappiest NFTs on the market? You can bet they will send them to us - so we’ll send them to you for feedback and/or utility. Enjoy yourselves! This is the only crunch that doesn’t break your teeth or make you work late - see you in the metaverse!