Is the metaverse a brave new world? An immersive digital playground? The next generation of online gaming? Or just the latest manifestation of our human tendency to create other realities?

Herman Narula argues that it is all of these things. His vision of the metaverse, deeply rooted in history and psychology, looks to the Egyptians, whose conception 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 to supplement our day-to-day lives with a rich diversity of alternative immersive experiences.

Rigorously researched, passionately argued, and written by a tech founder and creator of digital worlds, Virtual Society reveals why the metaverse offers a new universe of ideas that offers users unprecedented opportunities to create, explore and find meaning. It's an essential guide for anyone who wants to get beyond superficial headlines and understand the true shape of our virtual future.

A fascinating, provocative case that the metaverse will not merely transform our virtual experiences - it may actually enrich the quality of our lives * Adam Grant, no. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again *
Brimming with big and convincing arguments about where human life is heading. * Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive *
This mind-expanding, vitally important book blows through superficial takes * Marc Andreessen, cofounder and general partner, Andreessen Horowitz *

Herman Narula is the co-founder and CEO of Improbable, a London-based technology company. He has been featured by Wired, Financial Times, CNBC, The Economist, New Statesman, Bloomberg and more. His TED Talk, The Transformative Power of Video Games has been viewed over 1.8m times.