Let's Unpack the Metaverse

I read Matthew Bromberg comments on the metaverse with deep curiosity — and a dash of disappointment especially having been a Unity for Humanity Grant recipient and a Unity Ambassador. While I appreciate his candor and understand the critique of early, clunky platform executions, I think it’s shortsighted to throw out the entire vision of the metaverse based on immature iterations.

Let’s be clear: bad implementation does not negate transformational potential.

Yes, many early “metaverse” platforms overpromised and underdelivered. They were often gamified echo chambers chasing hype cycles. But to call the entire concept “garbage” is to mistake poor product-market fit with a bankrupt vision — and that’s not only reductive, it’s dangerous for innovation.

Black Woman Chemist/Innovator/Educator/Founder

As someone who built the first Metaversity — a fully immersive virtual reality campus at Morehouse College — I’ve seen the metaverse work for education, especially for:

 • Historically excluded learners

 • Neurodiverse students

 • Geographically isolated communities

 • Cross-cultural immersion in ways 2D cannot replicate

This is not about escaping reality. It’s about expanding access to better realities.

Bromberg’s enthusiasm for AR and AI is warranted — and I’d argue they are not a departure from the metaverse, but a refinement of its next chapter. We’re shifting from broad, bloated virtual real estate speculation to purpose-driven, presence-enhancing experiences. This is a good thing.🤩🙌🏾

So instead of railing against the “idiocy” of what the metaverse was, let’s talk about what it can be — especially when we:

 • Design with intentionality

 • Build for community, not novelty

 • Lead with ethics, equity, and empathy

Because here’s the truth: if we abandon immersive technologies just as they’re maturing, we don’t just lose a platform — we lose a generation of possibility.

I say we keep building — wisely, justly, and boldly. What are your thoughts? Comment below and read the article in PC Gamer https://lnkd.in/e3UJGQYY