What Media Experts Expect from the Metaverse

4/20/2022

Tech

0 min read

NobleCon18 Brought Media Experts Together to Discuss the Metaverse, Here’s What Happened

Media all-star Steve Forbes kicked off this year’s NobleCon18 and the conference’s first panel presentation. Forbes, who is no stranger to changes in media, showed up in the room virtually. This was fitting as the discussion centered around the metaverse. The live panel included all-stars that are on the edge of shaping what is often called Web3. The expert panelists are well-known names in data, gaming, news and information.

No doubt the investors that attended the panel discussion at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel (Guitar Hotel) left the large room with a better understanding of what the metaverse is, what it can be, and more importantly, where the opportunities are.

Following Steve Forbes’ introduction, the metaverse panel was moderated by Eric Bolling, TV Host of Eric Bolling The Balance. Rob Goldman, a data-driven world-changer who created the model for growth and monetization at Facebook brought his unique insights to the panel. Mike Federle, brought his own experience related to media changing and adapting, as CEO of Forbes Media Group. Christopher Ruddy, the CEO of Newsmax which owns several different news mediums brought well thought out scenarios as to how Web3 will become integrated into our daily lives. And, Dimitry Kozko, CEO, Motorsport Games who understands the important role that gaming has and will continue to play in the growth and normalizing of the metaverse, explained gamings’ critical role in invention and public acceptance.

What was Said

In the coming weeks, Channelchek will post a video broadcast of the panel’s exchange, sign up for Channelchek updates to be sure not to miss the video replay.

Rob Goldman, with his big tech background, reminded the room full of investors that the metaverse is just the next phase of augmented reality. He says this should be comfortable as “we already have a place we go to immerse ourselves in an augmented world.” He sees tech as allowing us to go where we want to go when we want to go. The audience was reminded that smartphones now fit seamlessly into our lives, yet the concept may have been incomprehensible a few short years ago.

Goldman sees the future of the metaverse as split in three ways and perhaps unfolding with heavy input from a few current tech powerhouses. He sees the three segments as hardware & design, technology & partnerships, and network. As for the hardware, Goldman recognizes that the public may not immediately be comfortable with metaverse glasses banding our eyes. He has confidence that Apple (AAPL) which has been tasked before with making abnormal tech changes socially acceptable, can find the successful path to this big challenge. Goldman named Microsoft (MSFT) as having the connections to develop the needed tech partnerships to provide a metaverse that is one day largely connected. The former Facebook head believes Meta (FB) will provide the network piece.

Dmitry Kozko, CEO of Motorsport Games (MSGM) said the digital environment of gaming is helping to bring about the change and acceptance of augmented reality including the metaverse. Kozko described the digital environment as creating understanding and advancing the adoption of augmented reality.

Newsmax’s founder and CEO Chris Ruddy explained that traditional media outlets should be excited to be part of it. He explained the lifecycle of growing tech trends in a way most investors in the room should have taken note of. Ruddy says that the path of previous tech trends was first awareness, followed by a “goldrush,” he said this ushers in capital and resources from which the infrastructure is built. He explained there is then expansion that is followed by a crash as the new industry gets ahead of itself. The new field that will be worth trillions will then regain its footing, building off the infrastructure that was created earlier. Ruddy thinks the metaverse will have its own need for news and his company is excited to be part of this journey.

Mike Federle, CEO of Forbes (OPA) could have added to the discussion from many different angles. As he pointed out, Forbes gets to dip their toe into everyone’s business around the world. This gives him broad insight into most any business discussion. He chose to address the crypto angle of the metaverse. The Forbes CEO suspects the metaverse will bridge the gap for the digital currencies. Federle explains we currently have the crypto-committed (true believers), the crypto curious, and as he explained the crypto-uninitiated. The uninitiated he says is the largest group. Drawing a corollary to the internet’s beginnings (web1), experimentation will lead to adoption. With this, web3 reduces every human interaction into a transaction.

Take-Away

The metaverse presents massive opportunity. One risk is over-speculation, another is government involvement including regulation and probable taxation. Understanding the companies that are getting involved and the contribution they provide is key to investing in what these panelists all believe can grow to become its own world.

NobleCon18 is the 18^th annual investor conference held by Noble Capital Markets. The conference which is free to investors will wrap-up all presentations on Thursday April 22. Limited seats are still available.