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The Metaverse

Fully Revised and Updated Edition: Building the Spatial Internet

Matthew Ball

$49.95

Hardback

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English
WW Norton & Co
24 September 2024
In this substantially revised and updated edition of his internationally best-selling book, pioneering theorist and entrepreneur Matthew Ball goes beyond the hype cycle to present a definitive account of the future of the internet. The Metaverse, according to Ball's industry-shaping definition, is a persistent and interconnected network of 3D virtual worlds that will eventually serve as the gateway to most online experiences and underpin much of the physical world.

As Ball recounts, the Metaverse is a thirty-year-old term, and the core ideas and technologies behind it have been in development for nearly a century. Only recently, however, did this fantastical concept begin to leap from the pages of science fiction and depths of national research labs to the forefront of consumer technology, industrial engineering, healthcare, education, dating, and more.

From the history of video games and virtual reality to ""proto-metaverses"" such as Second Life, Fortnite, and Roblox to Generative AI and the groundbreaking films and television series of the Walt Disney Company, Ball points out that the Metaverse is already emerging around us (and doesn't require a headset). Still, there are many breakthroughs required to fully realize the Metaverse, and he describes each in approachable but expert detail. Ball also lays out how governmental policy, the philosophy of Big Tech leaders, artificial general intelligence, economics, and human rights will shape the development of the Metaverse.

Famous for his ability to bring clarity to complex and misunderstood topics, Ball demonstrates that the race to build the Metaverse-also known as the ""spatial"" or ""immersive"" internet-is only accelerating. The Metaverse will endure as an indispensable guide for enthusiasts, tech aficionados, and anyone curious about the profound transformations underway in our increasingly interconnected world.
By:  
Imprint:   WW Norton & Co
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 236mm,  Width: 160mm,  Spine: 38mm
Weight:   691g
ISBN:   9781324095286
ISBN 10:   1324095288
Pages:   480
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Matthew Ball is an entrepreneur; angel investor; film, TV, and video game producer; and national and international best-selling author. He has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Time. Ball lives in Toronto, New York City, and Miami.

Reviews for The Metaverse: Fully Revised and Updated Edition: Building the Spatial Internet

""Ball certainly knows his stuff... For this emerging generation, the metaverse will be a perfectly natural psychological extension of everything they have ever known. For the rest of us, who will soon need to catch up, Ball’s book is the best crash course we have."" -- Kit Wilson - The Times ""Where big tech waffles about the metaverse while spending billions on making it a reality, Ball has exacting standards for what the metaverse must be and what would be needed to achieve it."" -- James Ball - The Spectator ""Excellent… Chapters on bringing the various iterations of the developing metaverse together, making them interact, and the hardware required, are lucid and logical."" -- Chris Stokel-Walker - New Scientist ""Like the information superhighway, this latest buzzword seems to point in the right direction, but may get lost along the way. For anyone who wants to understand the process and what is at stake, Mr Ball’s lucid and timely book offers a portal into a new realm."" -- The Economist ""You had probably never heard the word metaverse before 2021. Today it’s hard to escape it. For those who want to move past the hype and understand where the promise of this technology really lies, The Metaverse by Matthew Ball is the place to start."" -- Alok Jha - The Guardian ""Ball certainly knows his stuff... For this emerging generation, the metaverse will be a perfectly natural psychological extension of everything they have ever known. For the rest of us, who will soon need to catch up, Ball’s book is the best crash course we have."" -- Kit Wilson - The Times ""Where big tech waffles about the metaverse while spending billions on making it a reality, Ball has exacting standards for what the metaverse must be and what would be needed to achieve it."" -- James Ball - The Spectator ""Excellent… Chapters on bringing the various iterations of the developing metaverse together, making them interact, and the hardware required, are lucid and logical."" -- Chris Stokel-Walker - New Scientist ""Like the information superhighway, this latest buzzword seems to point in the right direction, but may get lost along the way. For anyone who wants to understand the process and what is at stake, Mr Ball’s lucid and timely book offers a portal into a new realm."" -- The Economist ""You had probably never heard the word metaverse before 2021. Today it’s hard to escape it. For those who want to move past the hype and understand where the promise of this technology really lies, The Metaverse by Matthew Ball is the place to start."" -- Alok Jha - The Guardian


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