Member Brief: Enter the Metaverse

Can a company build a Metaverse or does it simply manifest? It’s been surreal living in Columbus, Ohio during this period of pandemic and national response. The distant future feels nearer in many ways. It accelerated towards us. Like other major cities, the stores, streets, and parks are empty. So are the churches, banks, and theaters. But people are convening elsewhere; the statistics suggest as much. According to Bank of America data, the prevailing growth category has been electronics. In nearly every Target or Walmart, gaming systems and computer software that has flown off of the shelves. The non-essential has become essential. It’s an indicator of a greater shift in how we buy, create, consume, and gather.