The metaverse is a vision of how the next generation of the internet will operate. Many people believe it is the future. But what will that future look like? An immersive digital playground? Or just the latest manifestation of our human tendency to create other realities? Herman Narula argues that it is all of these things and more. His vision of the metaverse, deeply rooted in history and psychology, looks to the Egyptians, whose concept of death inspired them to build the pyramids, to modern-day sports fans whose fantasy leagues are as competitive as the real thing, and finds that humanity has always sought ways to supplement our day-to-day lives with a rich diversity of alterative immersive experiences. This book reveals why the metaverse offers a new universe of ideas that gives everyone the chance to create, explore and find meaning.