Ways to Think About a Metaverse

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TLDR

  • Benedict Evans examines the metaverse concept through multiple analytical frames, questioning what it actually means.

Key Takeaways

  • The metaverse is not a single product or platform but a contested label applied to many different technical and commercial visions.
  • Historical analogies to past tech transitions (web, mobile) are invoked to interrogate whether “metaverse” names a real shift or marketing.
  • The framing you choose determines which companies, infrastructure, and use cases appear relevant or irrelevant.
  • Definitional clarity matters: builders and investors betting on the metaverse may be betting on incompatible futures.

Why It Matters

  • How you define the metaverse shapes capital allocation, product strategy, and which incumbents or entrants look threatening.
  • Founders and operators risk building for a label rather than a durable user behavior or infrastructure layer.

Benedict Evans · ** · Read the original