Disney Unplugs Metaverse Unit During Initial Round Of Layoffs

[erek]

Is the Metaverse really going to make it as the Next Big Thing? Or did it ever really even have a chance?

"Bob Chapek at one time talked up the metaverse as a significant growth opportunity for Disney, not only in the theme park unit he once ran but across its other divisions. The metaverse has captivated a number of companies eager to be early on the next wave of change, including Facebook parent Meta Platforms, which changed its corporate identity to reflect its new focus. As yet, most investments in metaverse technology have not shown profits, however."

Source: https://deadline.com/2023/03/disney-unplugs-metaverse-unit-layoffs-bob-chapek-bob-iger-1235311536/

 

[PC-Only]

I know a lot of "tech" people, including here, like to jump on a bandwagon of "i told you this was stupid!" on any new tech ideas. But the issue is not the concept itself - that isn't why it failed. The issue is that, much like over-hyped modern "AI", technology has not yet even come close to reaching the level necessary to support the concept, especially in a cost effective way. And people at the top of these companies are so far removed from reality they fell for their own collective marketing hype. And in some cases they knew what was going on - got in - made some quick money - and cashed out before the relatively quick pace people realized the con.

Of course I'm not saying there are other legitimate concerns (horrible monetization), but those concerns are not remotely unique to the "metaverse."

 

[LukeTbk]

And you cannot wait to know the tech is yet to be ready to start the project (because it is that type of spending that will push if it is to happen, let alone possibility of losing the race), making it quite hard to time.

But here, I am not so sure how much the issue is not the concept itself, I think the pandemy stay-at-home phase did make those ideas loose a bit of their momentum and the excitement for that kind of future (when if people would have been possibly excited it would have been then).

Maybe for when you are forced to do something with an vr system (like working on something that can have a 3d model with people), but in that case the little I saw of the aesthetic choice make little sense.

I mean in the sense that even has a made up demo with no hardware-software-reality constrain, on the pure vision of it:


Was it appealing to people ? And it is just that it does not work because tech is not ready, or the idea itself is not that interesting even in the dream world that they work really well ? Could just be the terrible presentation and casting himself in promos with his showmanship and charisma level.

The value of better customer service Ai chatbot than the 2021 AI chatbot used for customer service is obvious, the value of simulating synthetic material or faster lithography mask has well, the need and value are all there

 

[erek]

I know a lot of "tech" people, including here, like to jump on a bandwagon of "i told you this was stupid!" on any new tech ideas. But the issue is not the concept itself - that isn't why it failed. The issue is that, much like over-hyped modern "AI", technology has not yet even come close to reaching the level necessary to support the concept, especially in a cost effective way. And people at the top of these companies are so far removed from reality they fell for their own collective marketing hype. And in some cases they knew what was going on - got in - made some quick money - and cashed out before the relatively quick pace people realized the con.

Of course I'm not saying there are other legitimate concerns (horrible monetization), but those concerns are not remotely unique to the "metaverse."

Even this?

 

[MrGuvernment]

Problem is big companies, Meta , and Disney wanted to own the metaverse but really are so far disconnected from what it should be and what people would want in it, they had no chance!