In Web3, one of the 'big things' everyone seems to be rushing towards is the metaverse.

In Web2, that 'big thing' was social media - and Facebook was (arguably) the most complete embodiment of that vision.

But a whole bunch of smaller creations informed its features and design (Blogger.com, Myspace, Friendster, Tumblr, Bebo etc.).

The metaverse isn't here just yet, but we're starting to see what is informing its creation...

So, what are they? Here's what metaverse related technology and theories were on show at this year's CES:

• Secondary Experiences​
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  Will metaverse based experiences (e.g. fashion shows and music festivals) replace their real world counterparts? Absolutely not.
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  But they will exist as a secondary option, giving greater accessibility to users, and wider economic opportunities for businesses.
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• Virtual workspaces​
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  Same deal - will this spark the metaverse revolution and drive mass adoption? Nope.
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  But being able to do things like: add a bunch of virtual monitors to your workspace? That's a pretty neat option to have.
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• Ownership​
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  Another factor to file under 'nice-to-have-but-not-enough-to-convince-mom-n-dad-to-buy-VR-headsets.'
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  Being able to participate as both a buyer AND a seller of digital assets in these new virtual worlds is an exciting one.
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  Imagine being able to create custom skins for your favorite video game, and then sell them to other users...
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  This is currently a multi-billion dollar a year industry - and it's one that we, as users, can't yet participate in.
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• Branding - or rather, Re-Branding
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  ​The language of Web3 & the metaverse needs to be softened (preeeach!).
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  E.g. NFTs will still be a thing, but we'll all refer to them as 'digital collectibles,' or 'digital art.' (Makes a lot more sense).

...ok, but none of this points towards a big 'Oh my god, I need this technology in my life, no matter the price tag' moment.

But that's kind of the point. We're not at that stage yet.

A bunch of little things need to be tried and tested, before the big 'thing' can be realized.

And right now, we're all still so early to the space.

As for our armchair analysis of the whole situation?

​This is how we think the metaverse starts...