What is the metaverse? Well, it depends who you ask, as the vague term referring to an immersive virtual world of the future continues to morph across industries. Will it be a social platform? Will virtual reality (VR) headsets be the gateway? Will it blur the line between reality and technology?

At this year’s massive four-day Consumer Electronics Show (CES), it became clear that Web2 and Web3 native companies have different views on the way forward.

The term “metaverse” was first coined in Neal Stephenson’s 1992 science fiction novel “Snow Crash,” though the development of technologies to enhance the metaverse experience has expanded rapidly in recent years. Conventional companies such as Meta (formerly Facebook) have changed their approach to innovate in the sector and…