Looking forward through the rear-view mirror: A socio-technical imaginaries perspective for envisioning the Metaverse beyond the hype

We build upon the theoretical underpinnings of federated networks and adopt a socio-technical imaginaries perspective to envision the future of the Metaverse, informed by an understanding of the past and an assessment of the present. In doing so, we employ a two-step methodological approach that includes interviews with experts on Metaverse development, complemented by a historical analysis of archival data on the development of existing federated networks. Our combined data analysis unearthed four characteristics essential for the development of the Metaverse, which often operate in conjunction. By analyzing the relationship among the identified core characteristics, we further unpack two key insights for the future development of the Metaverse. Our first insight is that the fundamental attribute of federated networks is dynamism. Our second insight is that by acknowledging this dynamism, we can better understand that the development of the Metaverse will not follow a linear progression, as the development of a core characteristic may affect the advancement of others. We discuss the implications of our work for theory as well as practice and delineate an agenda for future research on the topic. • We explore the Metaverse development through a socio-technical imaginaries perspective • We analyze interviews with Metaverse experts and archival data on prior federated networks • We identify four characteristics: interoperability, standardization, usability, and scalability • The interrelationship of these characteristics can drive Metaverse development non-linearly • We bring forward theoretical insights relevant to the future development of the Metaverse