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The widespread success of platforms ranging from Second Life to Roblox shows that people are open to virtual worlds where they can socialize, play games, exchange information, and share some laughs. More recently, the rise of virtual HQs, Meta’s investment in interactive social software, and a handful of acquisitions by Microsoft signal that the metaverse could play a role in the future of work as well.

We’re lucky there’s still a lack of consensus regarding what the metaverse may look like long-term: dueling perspectives help us think more broadly about use cases that will help define this still-amorphous concept and bring it into the mainstream.

We unpacked our initial thoughts on Equity, so listen to the latest podcast episode for a starting point. Natasha Mascarenhas, Alex Wilhelm and Anita Ramaswamy, our newest crypto and fintech reporter, discussed the future of the metaverse and whether its prevailing use will be for work or for play:

• Anita Ramaswamy: At the metaverse water cooler, workers can have the best of both worlds
• Natasha Mascarenhas: The metaverse clashes with the future of work
• Alex Wilhelm: Inch by inch, the further melding of work, play, and identity

Anita Ramaswamy: At the metaverse water cooler, workers can have the best of both worlds

We can’t analyze the future of the metaverse without defining it. To people who don’t live and breathe on the blockchain, the internet in its current state is the metaverse. The metaverse people are buzzing about today is a layer over existing tech, not a departure from it. Ultimately, the companies that will see actual gains from the rise of the newer metaverse are the ones that can attract users beyond the crypto-native set — and those will likely be the big tech platforms through their focus on the office.