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Xsolla founder Shurick Agapitov unveiled his vision for the metaverse in a new book dubbed Once Upon Tomorrow.
Agapitov wants to bring readers along on a journey for his view on the transformative potential of the metaverse. Departing from mainstream narratives, Agapitov paints a vivid picture of the metaverse as an expansive and inclusive space, challenging traditional views prevalent in tech conferences and boardrooms, Xsolla said.
“In Once Upon Tomorrow, I present a vision of the metaverse as a vast, inclusive, and transformative space,” Agapitov said in a statement. “It’s not just a digital frontier but a realm where creativity, innovation, and empowerment converge. This book is my invitation to creators, thinkers, and dreamers across the globe to join in shaping a future where technology amplifies human potential and fosters a world of limitless possibilities.”
He added, “The metaverse, as I see it, is not about control or confinement but about unleashing the collective creativity and entrepreneurial spirit inherent in all of us.”
He said the book goes beyond the typical discourse on the metaverse, exploring its potential to bridge emerging and legacy brands, create immersive consumer experiences, and enrich global cultures.
Agapitov envisions the metaverse as a catalyst for democratizing opportunities and ensuring equal access to cutting-edge technologies. His narrative extends beyond technology, focusing on the metaverse’s ability to empower content creators worldwide. The book also sheds light on the metaverse’s profound impact on education, offering hope and opportunities for individuals of all ages.
The metaverse isn’t as popular an idea as it once was. References to the metaverse peaked in October 2021 after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg changed his company’s name to Meta and embarked on a metaverse journey based on the company’s Meta Quest headsets.
The topic drove huge interest among tech giants, game companies and brands who thought of the metaverse as the next version of the internet. But the concept is in a downcycle as early visions of it haven’t yet produced the expected demand. Still, other metaverse populists like Ernest Cline, creator of Ready Player One, and Neal Stephenson, author of Snow Crash and the man who coined the metaverse, are still trying to make an open metaverse happen.
Agapitov isn’t as famous as those metaverse thinkers. And he briefly became controversial for being pretty coarse about laying off a number of unproductive employees. But he became very wealthy from launching Xsolla and he wants to add his voice as an advocate for the open metaverse.
In the book, Agapitov advocates for a decentralized metaverse, challenging the dominance of Silicon Valley and advocating for control, profit potential, and freedom to be vested in the hands of creative communities.
He said Once Upon Tomorrow is a roadmap to a future where technology serves humanity inclusively, fostering financial, social, and creative inclusivity. Agapitov envisions a future where every consumer-facing industry undergoes transformation, from fashion to healthcare and entertainment.
The book explores the potential impact of the metaverse on various sectors, including business-to-business, education, city planning, inter-government relations, and non-profit efforts. Drawing from his experience and insight into technology evolution, Agapitov discusses the roles of key stakeholders, including internet hosting providers, website developers, cloud computing experts, infrastructure engineers, and the ongoing need for advanced networking and hardware.
Once Upon Tomorrow is a visionary work that challenges readers to reconsider the decentralized metaverse as deserving of its earlier hype and its limitless potential. Agapitov is making investments in new businesses related to gaming, Web3, metaverse and fintech as part of a plan to make this future happen. In the book, he talks about growing up in Russia and starting Xsolla.
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