• Information Systems Review
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.131-159
• /
• 2023

Recently, amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic shifting towards an endemic phase, there has been a rise in discussions and debates about the future of the metaverse. Simultaneously, major metaverse platforms like Roblox have been launching services integrated with generative AI, and Apple's mixed reality hardware, Vision Pro, has been announced, creating new expectations for the metaverse. In this situation where the outlook for the metaverse is divided, it is crucial to diagnose the metaverse from an ecosystem perspective, examine its key ecological features, driving forces for development, and future possibilities for advancement. This study utilized Wang's (2021) Information Ecology Theory (IET) framework, which is representative of ecosystem research in the field of Information Systems (IS), to derive the Metaverse Industrial Ecosystem (MIE). The analysis revealed that the MIE consists of four main domains: Tech Landscape, Category Ecosystem, Metaverse Platform, and Product/Service Ecosystem. It was found that the MIE exhibits characteristics such as digital connectivity, the integration of real and virtual worlds, value creation capabilities, and value sharing (Web 3.0). Furthermore, the interactions among the domains within the MIE and the four characteristics of the ecosystem were identified as driving forces for the development of the MIE at an ecosystem level. Additionally, the development of the MIE at an ecosystem level was categorized into three distinct stages: Narrow Ecosystem, Expanded Ecosystem, and Everywhere Ecosystem. It is anticipated that future advancements in related technologies and industries, such as robotics, AI, and 6G, will promote the transition from the current Expanded Ecosystem level of the MIE to an Everywhere Ecosystem level, where the connection between the real and virtual worlds is pervasive. This study provides several implications. Firstly, it offers a foundational theory and analytical framework for ecosystem research, addressing a gap in previous metaverse studies. It also presents various research topics within the metaverse domain. Additionally, it establishes an academic foundation that integrates concept definition research and impact studies, which are key areas in metaverse research. Lastly, referring to the developmental stages and conditions proposed in this study, businesses and governments can explore future metaverse markets and related technologies. They can also consider diverse metaverse business strategies. These implications are expected to guide the exploration of the emerging metaverse market and facilitate the evaluation of various metaverse business strategies.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.81-91
• /
• 2021

Recently, discussions on Metaverse, which represents the transcendent world, have been dominant for some time. Cases related to the Metaverse are introduced through various media and are continuously attracting attention as the next generation of the Internet. This study reviews the business model and the ecosystem overview, focusing on service cases related to the Metaverse. The widely used business models include content production and sales, media brokerage fee, and marketing fee. The Metaverse ecosystem is formed around games, with major players in game production, authoring tool & support SW, intelligent cloud service, and game platform expected to lead the market. Results show that a strategy to secure the leadership of the Metaverse, such as the business model expansion conditions, a strategy to foster a game-oriented Metaverse ecosystem, and technology development for the realization of the ultra-realistic Metaverse, is necessary.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.163-174
• /
• 2022

Despite the great interest in the metaverse from academia and industry, research so far has been focused on a specific area, and the background of the study is in the recognition that research is necessary from the perspective of the entire metaverse ecosystem. The purpose of this study was to derive the metaverse research framework and each component to study from the perspective of the metaverse ecosystem, and to study the development stage of the metaverse ecosystem. From an academic point of view, the ecosystem components were derived through the Metaverse IDC-Platform, a framework for applying Michael Porter's diamond model to the metaverse. From a practical point of view, the four components of the metaverse ecosystem interact with each other in terms of metaverse application and development. As the basis of this study, it can be used strategically because it is possible to identify areas for reinforcement in academia and industry and provide basic data for insight by closely examining the strengths and weaknesses of each component. The contribution of research is that it has created a foundation for research that has been limited to specific areas from an ecosystem perspective, unlike before.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.41-59
• /
• 2022

Metaverse which was not mentioned until recently due to the failure of 'Second Life' in the past is drawing attention again with the emergence and popularity of metaverse platforms such as 'Roblox' and 'Zeppetto'. On the other hand, there are concerns that past failures will still be repeated. In order to create and sustain the ecosystem surrounding the metaverse, it is important to diagnose and analyze the development process of the metaverse industry and market to define a clear concept that expresses the current metaverse boom. In this paper, the metaverse of the future is defined as "Metaverse 2.0: A virtual world that evolves into a 'Hyper world' through the convergence of hyper-connectivity, hyper-intelligence, and hyper-reality." And six issues that need to be resolved for the activation of the metaverse were analyzed. Based on the contents of this study, it is expected that the metaverse ecosystem will be formed and spread by establishing the roles of the public sector and the private sector.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.791-797
• /
• 2022

Through recent metaverse marketing case studies, success factors and activation methods were analyzed from the perspective of content, platform, network, and device of the metaverse ecosystem in each industry. The importance of contents and platform of metaverse could be found in entertainment, fashion, office space and real estate, education, advertisement and commerce industries. In order to vitalize the metaverse, firstly, it is necessary to strengthen active participation and retention by providing a stable revenue model for market participants. Secondly, the importance of attractive content to expand subscribers is a key trigger for metaverse activation. Thirdly, it is necessary to increase the convenience of using metaverse service by using a light and simple device for the user. Fourthly, a win-win cooperation strategy should be supported in the value chain of the industry through ecosystem scalability. In addition, business opportunities for market participants and additional revenue models should be continuously provided.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.75-84
• /
• 2023

Metaverse is expected to bring many innovations to society, culture, and economy by providing realistic services in various fields while suppressing time and space constraints. However, unclear definitions owing to the high diversity of the metaverse add to the confusion of the ecosystem participants. The current metaverse service has many voices of concern owing to technical limitations and lack of a clear profit model. Nevertheless, given its high growth potential driven by the digital transformation, a solid and long-term technology development strategy seems to be necessary. Accordingly, we analyze development cases centering on the major metaverse service shapes presented in the Metaverse New Industry Leading Strategy announced by the Ministry of Science and ICT in January 2022. In addition, we study the characteristics and core technologies of each metaverse service for its realization and discuss future stages of technological development.

• Korean Journal of Artificial Intelligence
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.19-24
• /
• 2022

Metaverse refers to a world that transcends reality. Metaverse is a compound word of meta (transcendence) and universe (universe). The impact of the corona pandemic has provided an opportunity to rapidly grow the metaverse based on realistic content along with online and non-face-to-face environments. Various content and service platforms reflecting the concepts of metaverse and digital twin are rapidly spreading around the world in line with the pandemic situation. As their needs accelerate in response to the COVID-19 situation, the technology of metaverse and digital twin is attracting attention again as an indispensable condition for business, culture and art, national industry, and public services. In particular, the metaverse requires the balanced development of ecosystem components based on various advanced convergence technologies. In this paper, the concept of metaverse and digital twin, types of platforms, and development status are examined, and trends of key element technologies are investigated and analyzed. As these key element technologies, XR sensory technology, avatar technology, and other XR devices and parts were examined. Through this, we want to clearly pinpoint the direction in which the metaverse will develop through future technologies, services, and follow-up research.

• Journal of Information Processing Systems
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.273-283
• /
• 2024

The digital domain has witnessed unprecedented growth, reshaping the way we interact, work, and even perceive reality. The internet has evolved into a vast ecosystem of interconnected virtual worlds, giving birth to the concept of the Metaverse. The Metaverse, often envisioned as a collective virtual shared space, is created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and interactive digital spaces. Within this Metaverse space, the concept of ownership, identity, and authenticity takes on new dimensions, necessitating innovative solutions to safeguard individual rights. The digital transformation through Metaverse has also brought forth challenges, especially in copyright protection. As the lines between the virtual and physical blur, the traditional notions of ownership and rights are being tested. The Metaverse, with its multitude of user-generated content, poses unique challenges. The primary objective of this research is multifaceted. Firstly, there's a pressing need to understand the strategies employed by non-fungible token (NFT) marketplaces within the Metaverse to strengthen security and prevent copyright violations. As these platforms become centers for digital transactions, ensuring the authenticity and security of each trade becomes paramount. Secondly, the study aims to delve deep into the foundational technologies underpinning NFTs, from the workings of blockchain to the mechanics of smart contracts, to understand how they collectively ensure copyright protection. Thus, in this paper, we propose a quantum based NFT solution that can secure Metaverse and copyright contents in an advanced manner.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.115-126
• /
• 2023

In various fields such as art, design, music, film, sports, games, and fashion, NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are creating new economic value through trading platforms dedicated to NFT art and content. In this article, I analyze the current state of blockchain technology and NFT art content in the context of an expanding market for blockchain-based NFT art content in the metaverse. I also propose several tasks based on the economic and industrial logic of technological innovation. The first task proposed is to integrate cultural arts on blockchain, metaverse, and NFT platforms through digital innovation, instead of separating or distinguishing between creative production and consumption. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a clear separation between creators and consumers. However, with the rise of Web 3.0 platforms, any user can now create and own their own content. Therefore, it is important to promote a collaborative and integrated approach to cultural arts production and consumption in the blockchain and metaverse ecosystem. The second task proposed is to align the legal framework with blockchain-based technological innovation. The enactment and revision of relevant laws should focus on promoting the development of the NFT trading platform ecosystem, rather than merely regulating it for user protection. As blockchain-based technology continues to evolve, it is important that legal systems adapt to support and promote innovation in the space. This shift in focus can help create a more conducive environment for the growth of blockchain-based NFT platforms. The third task proposed is to integrate education on digital arts, including metaverse and NFT art contents, into the current curriculum. This education should focus on convergence and consilience, rather than merely mixing together humanities, technology, and arts. By integrating digital arts education into the curriculum, students can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the potential of blockchain-based technologies and NFT art. This article examines the digital technological innovation such as blockchain, metaverse, and NFT from an economic and industrial point of view. As a limitation of this research, the critical mind such as philosophical thinking or social criticism on technological innovation is left as a future task.

• 한국정보교육학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2021.08a
• /
• pp.361-368
• /
• 2021

Daily life such as society, economy, and culture is fundamentally changing due to COVID-19, and digital transformation based on information technology (IT) such as artificial intelligence, data, and cloud is accelerating. In this study, we focused on the metaverse, which is based on the interaction between the virtual world and the real world, and explored the possibility of using the metaverse-based platform for education. The metaverse-based platform was approached from the perspective of the online education ecosystem, which means that not only online teaching and learning activities but also holistic educational activities such as learning, communication, and empathy are performed within the metaverse. In this metaverse platform, learners can feel the presence of learning, and learning motivation and immersion can be promoted. In addition, it is possible to experience self-directed learning based on the autonomy of spatial movement. Although there are technical and ethical limitations to applying the metaverse platform, it would be preferable to focus more on the interaction between learners in the metaverse world rather than high expectations.