The metaverse is a vision of the digital world in which people socialize, work, and play across multiple online domains that are socially and economically integrated with the physical world. The term is most commonly associated with persistent multiplayer environments — Fortnite, Roblox, and emerging spatial computing platforms — though the full metaverse implies a single, interoperable layer where identity, relationships, and money carry across virtual environments and back into physical life.
📝Scott Galloway defines the metaverse as "a persistent, online extension of reality, with a large and diverse community of contributors who trade in the true universal currency: our attention." Fortnite, often cited as a proto-metaverse, originated in a 2011 Epic Games game jam combining construction-genre mechanics with shooter mechanics; it has since hosted concerts, movie premieres, and brand activations that transcend traditional gaming.
The metaverse intersects with adjacent emerging frames including 📝Web3, 📝Spatial Media, 📝Non-Fungible Token (NFT)-based digital ownership, and the 📝Surreal Estate market for virtual property.