The Sandbox’s partnership with Snoop Dogg has introduced a previously detached community to the blockchain, NFTs, and the metaverse. With emerging metaverses competing for users as interest grows, how important will established celebrities, brands, and intellectual property be?

With hype about the metaverse persisting, a couple has made headlines for tying the knot in a hybrid virtual-physical ceremony. Although such rituals aren't yet legally binding, they signal people’s continued curiosity for creative, fun, and meaningful remote interactions.

As the reality of the metaverse comes nearer, companies are attempting to create a way into that world. Facebook is well placed to create an accessible entry point to the next level of the internet and Horizon is its attempt to offer an immersive VR world for socializing, home working, and beyond.

How will physical and virtual entertainment merge? What impact will mass spectatorship have on the gaming landscape? How can streaming services keep up with consumer demand? In this part of Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about people’s evolving media preferences and expectations.