The metaverse pioneers and the colonization of OpenSimulator

This article describes virtual worlds as exemplars of the virtual space and outlines the technical aspects of these spaces and their precursors. It describes the potential of an emergent economic space and considers the importance of the metaverse in social networking and future borderless collaborations. The aesthetics of the metaverse are described and where applicable related to real-world art practice, before outlining psychological and metaphysical questions, particularly the characteristic gestalt and phenomenological nature of the metaverse and areas for future research.