Quharrison Terry and Scott N. Keeney’s recent work “The Metaverse Handbook” may be the most consumer-oriented of the early books on the metaverse. It includes guidance about how to access and navigate it, and potentially participate not just with 3D VR apps & worlds, but also via investment in virtual, “phygital” assets (physical assets which also carry or unlock digital features ).
Compared with other books we’ve reviewed on the topic of the metaverse, Terry & Keeney’s book includes less information about the underlying technologies making the metaverse possible, but far more details about ancillary metaverse developments, e.g. NFTs, De-apps, avatars, digital twins, etc.; this consumer viewpoint makes it a worthwhile read, even for those involved in the technical aspects of the technology.
Several real world examples of the utility of NFTs are referenced, including creating a collectibility status or access to special online features enabled via ownership of these items:
Immersive experiences such as the Brooklyn Nets’ Neta-verse are also referenced as examples of the creativity of early metaverse adopters, pointing to the kind of hybrid real world/virtual world experiences the authors believe will become more commonplace as the technology increases in adoption.
There are myriad opinions of how (or indeed, whether) the metaverse will unfold. The Metaverse Handbook offers some interesting insights as to how this emerging technology may be consumed by each of us in our daily lives – likely sooner than many expect.
