Why a podcast about the metaverse
On June 1st 2020 we founded a new company, Supersocial, after developing an hypothesis that virtual worlds in 3D will become a primary modality for how people engage with content online, how they socialize and how they express themselves digitally over the next 10-20 years, inspired by a futuristic concept called “metaverse”. This was not only a result of past experience building products for new generations of Internet users, but also after being exposed to sci-fi writing like Snow Crush and Ready Player One, as well as contemporary theories by writers like Matthew Ball.
Once Roblox went public in early 2021, the wave of interest in the concept of a metaverse from many stakeholders - among them investors, creators and marketers got a wind, and was massively accelerated in October 2021 when Facebook changed its name to Meta. In between these two events, and after speaking in various media outlets about the work we do at Supersocial and my approach to the concept of a metaverse, it dawned on me that there is much confusion around what the metaverse is, why it matters, and how it will potentially change everything, is only going to grow.
That was the genesis for starting Into The Metaverse - the podcast, initially on Bloomberg Intelligence with Matthew Kanterman and starting April 2022 Into The Metaverse became an independent publication.
Takeaways for the future
Producing and hosting 50 episodes with some of the greatest builders, thinkers and investors in the space has been a real joy and a labor of passion. I’m grateful for each and one of the guests who came to the show and shared their work and perspectives about the metaverse, what it could be, why it matters, and what opportunities and challenges it unlocks.
In the best of Into The Metaverse 2022 letter I highlighted 10 of the most popular episodes on the podcast but as we embark on the next 50 episodes, it is clear that all 50 episodes we produced contributed to the ever-growing wisdom about the metaverse, which currently remains a fantasy but one that is really only at the beginning of its journey.
Here are the key takeaways from creating the first 50 episodes:
Curiosity → when there are more questions than answers it’s important to remain open minded. Throughout the production of 50 episodes I focused on respecting the perspective of the guests even if I disagreed with them. The main purpose for starting a podcast was to discover what is going to happen by listening to the people who are building or investing in the trenches.
Depth → especially when hype is celebrated, people appreciate depth of insights. In my conversations I seek to unlock a certain key insight that will be worth the time you spend listening to the podcast.
Diversity → bringing different voices from different industries helps create a wider understanding of what the metaverse evolution could mean. It’s not just one technology or platform but many. Diversity also means shining a light on the incredible women who are pushing the space forward.
As we continue with producing many more episodes we will keep these three pillars in mind. Seeing audience feedback like the one below is really the main reason why we started and will continue to grow, Into The Metaverse -
”Best podcast on the Metaverse. This is by far the best podcast to gain foundational insight and knowledge on the next phase of the Internet.” -L.Rodney
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Here’s to the next 50 episodes!
Yon is the founder of CEO of Supersocial, an innovator and leading developer, publisher and technology company focused on virtual worlds. Thank you for subscribing to Into The Metaverse. We grow when readers who appreciate our work spread the word.
Celebrating 50 Episodes of Into The Metaverse