TheMetaverse,Blockchain
Gaming,andNFTs:Navigatingthe
Internet’sUnchartedWaters
NewzooTrendReport2022TableofContents
1.Introduction3
2.TheMetaverseFoundation4
3.ExecutiveSummary10
410Trends14
i.TheMetaverse,Entertainment,and15
ImplicationsforBrands
ii.P2E,BlockchainGaming,andDigitalLand28
iii.NFTs,Crypto,andInteroperability39
4.LimitationsandClosingThoughts45TheMetaversein2022andBeyond
Foreword
WelaunchedthefirsteditionofourmetaversereportinJuly2021.Then,
themetaverse,NFTs,andblockchaingamingtransitionedfrombeing
largelyunknownconceptstoubiquitoustermsonthelipsofeverymajor
brandorinvestor.Despitethehypesomewhatcoolingdowninrecent
months—partlyasaresultoftheglobalmacroeconomicsituation—interest
inthemetaverseasanaturalandimmersivesuccessortothe2Dinternet
isstillatanall-timehigh.MihaiVicol
MetaverseLead
ThetransitionfromWeb2.0toWeb3.0willnotonlyimpactthemodus
operandiof(major)brands,butalsothewayinwhichconsumerslive,
work,andexperienceentertainment.
Theevolutionofsimulated,3Dworldspresentsaparticularlymassive
opportunityforbrands.Thetransitionfromdiffusedphysicalspacesand
intovirtualworldsprovidesthemwithanewopportunitytoreachahighly
condensedmassofusersthatismoredifficulttobothapproachand
monetizethroughotherformsofadvertising.Thistransitionintovirtual
worldscanonlyaccelerateasthecurrentgenerationsofdigitalnatives
ageandasvirtualexperiencesbecomemoreauthentic.Fast-moving
brandslikeNike,LouisVuitton,Balenciaga,ortechnologybrandslike
Meta—tonamejustafew—recognizedthisshiftingofthetideandhave
alreadydevelopedmetaversestrategies.
Moreover,whileNFTsandblockchaingameshaveexperienceda
spectacular2021,aseveredrawbackinthecryptomarketalongwithfears
ofaglobalrecessionhavebothledtopublicinterestandcoinvaluations
substantiallywaninginrecentmonths.Asaresult,thiscorrectionwilllikely
endmostofthe(loweffort)endeavorsintheseareas.Nevertheless,we
remainoptimisticaboutthefutureandremainconfidentthatthetop
projectswillsucceed.
Givenhowfast-movingthisspacestillis,anelementalunderstandingof
thebuildingblocksandtrendsthatsurrounditisessential.Therefore,in
thisreport,weidentifyanddiscussthetop10prevailingtrendsinthe
metaverse,blockchaingaming,andNFTspace.Understandingthese
trends(andwhatdrivesthem)willhelpcompaniesendemictogaming,
consumerbrands,andconsumersaliketonavigatethemurkywatersof
themetaverse,alongwithitsconnectiontoNFTsandblockchaingames.
Wehopeyoufindthisreportinsightfulandusefulforshapingyour
strategyin2022andbeyond.
(c)Newzoo20223TheMetaverseFoundation
Definition,ecosystem,andrecentevents
(c)Newzoo20224MetaverseEcosystemDiagram(1/2)
(c)Newzoo20225