2023 was an exciting year for Improbable. We pushed the boundaries of metaverse tech, unveiled key new products, and built a metaverse events machine.
With a sharp focus on shaping the future, we solidified our financial profile and our identity as a metaverse company, and have a clear north star for the years to come:
We are a metaverse company that develops cutting-edge metaverse technology and metaverse experiences and worlds for brands, and a metaverse venture builder, initiating innovative businesses that make the metaverse a useful reality.
Building the foundations of the metaverse
We had a busy 12 months. We officially launched M² and unveiled MML and Construct to empower the M² creator community. Origin hit the scene, allowing content creators to build metaverse experiences on a shared base while maintaining full control. And we continued to innovate in metaverse tech, from crowd rendering to AI, with many features in the pipe for 2024.
The sale of our defence business and MPG showed how we can deliver results as a venture builder. And we beat our annual events target, leaping from three to 30, which highlighted our agility and creativity – and the boundless potential of the metaverse.
Why was this so important? Because every event we’ve done has marked a step on our journey to unearth the best metaverse formats and use cases. But we knew to be really successful, we had to try stuff out – way more stuff – to support our theory people will prefer spending time in the metaverse over other activities.
So we ran events big and small. Quick, cost-effective, exploratory one-shot experiments. Ambitious, highly polished events with partners. All of the likes people had never seen before. Heads were turned, buzz was generated, and we were left grinning from ear to ear.
From metaverse vision to metaverse reality
Our sandbox, Improbable Labs, was a hotbed of metaverse innovation, drawing eager communities to events like Chasing Alpha and Bulldome. Edison showcased our ability to create exhilarating (and varied) live videogame/gameshow mash-ups in weeks, as evidenced by Forgotten Runes, Jump and Snowcrush.
In sports, Victory League reimagined football fandom with unforgettable events like the Game4Ukraine watch party and intimate gatherings with legends Zinchenko and Kanu. And our partnership with MLB blended a virtual ballpark with real-world baseball, drawing thousands of new fans to the metaverse across three successful events.
We also began to explore the industrial metaverse: Enterprise Insights had a profitable first year and is set to expand its customer base and licence its technology in 2024.
Imagining the future of the metaverse
But we’re not just building for today – we’re always thinking about the future. That’s where The Metaverse Society comes in. Co-launched by Improbable in May 2023, this think tank gathering visionaries, academics and industry leaders delves into the social and economic implications of the metaverse, and has already released several insightful reports.
So as we enter 2024, our enthusiasm knows no bounds. We’re in a great position, with ambitious goals to create more and lower-cost events, with higher engagement and innovative monetisation strategies for formats that will captivate audiences, generate revenue, and help build a metaverse revolution through innovative, independent, incredible ventures.