Once Upon Tomorrow by Shurick Agapitov
If the vision set forth by Shurick Agapitov in his mind-bending Once Upon Tomorrow is accurate, then here is a book too important to toss aside or only consider with mere passing interest.
Agapitov introduces readers to the Metaverse, what he describes as the next significant technological phase that will revolutionize our world, following those “ancient” trailblazers known as the Internet and smartphones.
While Facebook’s rebrand to Meta might have been a catalyst to alert our cultural consciousness, the term and its implications extend far beyond any kickstart it might have received from Mark Zuckerberg and company’s strategic adjustment.
The Metaverse will provide new experiences for consumers, seemingly unobscured by time or dimension, for work, play, learning and general consumption. Agapitov calls it “a limitless playground” in which various stakeholders will scramble amid a “digital goldrush” to cash in. It will affect virtually every business and industry.
With a projected value of about $30 trillion in the next decade, the Metaverse is a virtual reality world in which you can plug yourself into and, in theory, do almost anything.
Anything?
“Rather than just visiting a website,” Agapitov writes, “you’ll be immersed in a platform of three-dimension gaming, shopping, events and socialization. You’ll be ‘visiting’ virtual destinations that take you directly to the source of your interests.”
While the Metaverse will be available on any screen or technology powering virtual or augmented reality, the optimum experience would be within “digital caves” about the size of a walk-in closet, not unlike the holodeck on Star Trek that many of us grew up with.
Anything?
Try to imagine you’re on the sidelines of the Super Bowl, across the desk from Don Corleone, on the lower deck of the Titanic with the Leonardo DeCaprio character, a fly on the wall of the Sistine Chapel as Michelangelo ponders a tricky angle, or transported to some historical site or event from the past where learning is greatly enhanced from experience rather than reading assignments or lectures.
TOO IMPORTANT TO TOSS ASIDE
Stakeholders for the Metaverse will include developers, storytellers, artists, musicians, brand managers, investors, and any independent minds on a journey to wherever creativity can take them.
Agapitov leads readers through the history of digital technology, breaks down the potential for the Metaverse, describes the obstacles and opportunities, how it works, how it is funded, and why people must be planning for it now. He describes his own story, coming from a family of limited means in Russia, embracing the entrepreneurial spirit at an early age, and now the founder of a $3 billion video games payment company.
His own vision for the Metaverse is one that doesn’t centralize power and control under a handful of business bigwigs or iconic brands. He sees it more as a Wild West of creativity, where anyone with ambition and innovation can garner a share in this totally decentralized platform.
The way Agapitov writes about it, the Metaverse might be the world’s next religion.
He describes it for consumers as “experiences that excite them, brands that unite them, and ideas that ignite them.”
For anyone late for the Internet or smartphone train, the Metaverse is just leaving the station. Once Upon Tomorrow by Shurick Agapitov is the perfect primer to ensure you get a good seat on the ride.
AUTHOR
Aleksandr “Shurick” Agapitov is the founder of Xsolla – a $3 billion video game payments powerhouse company that has empowered the developer community with the tools they need to compete and succeed in the hyper-competitive video game arena. As CEO and Chairman of the AGP Family of companies in the gaming, technology, publishing and advertising realms, Shurick is proactively involved in shaping the future of commerce for creators across Web3 and the Metaverse. Shurick is a graduate of Harvard Business School and Once Upon Tomorrow is his first book.
Born in 1984, Agapitov grew up in Perm, Russia, a challenging environment within the old Soviet Union. At fifteen, he drew upon his entrepreneurial spirit, strengths in math, and belief in the power of education to start an online currency exchange service, transitioning into the area of digital gaming and aggregation. He moved to the United States with his wife Yana in 2009.
Xsolla continues to grow its footprint across customers, gamers, and the investment community. Visit www.onceupontomorrow.com.
