The metaverse needs responsible stewardship

Like many, I spent more and more time in the metaverse this past year. I built a drag racer, (hyper) casually explored city management, and rolled a fair bit of virtual sushi. As I revisited favorite gaming haunts and discovered new ones, I realized that the metaverse is no longer my solitary hangout, but the place I go to spend time with my friends, family, and communities.

The metaverse is the sum total of those and all other collective virtual environments where people spend their time. Like any environment where many people gather, the metaverse has started to attract advertising. Unfortunately, this year has reinforced my view that advertising is not, as yet, a very good metaverse participant. Advertising in the metaverse is often disruptive, pulling gamers out of immersion whilst they wait to skip a full page interstitial, or bribing for a modicum of attention, for example through rewarded video ads.