The Metaverse

Building the Spatial Internet / Fully Revised and Updated Edition

By: Matthew Ball

Narrated by: Luis Moreno

In this fully 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.

“Matthew is one of the most thoughtful writers about the future of computing. This edition captures a bunch of the breakthroughs we’re seeing across the industry, especially around the convergence of AI and the Metaverse.”—Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO, Meta

©2022, 2024 Matthew Ball (P)2024 Recorded Books

Blueprint for the future

Matthew masterfully weaves together emerging technologies, presenting them in a clear, accessible and compelling way

Useful but tiring

Full of historical facts and technical explanations understandable to most people. A bit tiring but informative

What did I miss?

Tons of informative facts about everything that will factor into every aspect of the metaverse. welp thought out and presented intelligibly. I wanted more of the time spent describing what the actual metaverse is and specifically how, where and what we will do inside it. I may have missed it on the occasional nod out while listening to the Audible but having read Snow Crash when it first came out that taught me more than this book about how I may interact within it. I also wonder how it will effect the teal world economy if everyone is immersed. still I have to give props to the author for bringing to light the players, the investments, and the evolution of it all.

Matthew Ball does it again!

We need thinking agents like the author, Matthew Ball. He is asking the hard questions, and finding all the data that needs to be pieced together for us to understand the direction of our interoperable future.

Too much nonsense to fill space

This should be title "the story of video game technology and the companies behind"