Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney Envisions a Genuine Metaverse

Epic Games has unveiled its latest vision for the metaverse, showcasing a unified marketplace called Fab, new Metahumans animation tools, and an economy surrounding its Unreal Editor for Fortnite. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, CEO Tim Sweeney emphasized the importance of an open ecosystem, stating that the metaverse cannot be confined to a 'walled garden.' Sweeney believes that the games industry is ideal for an open system, with multiple strong console companies and publishers that can benefit from interconnected services. He envisions a future where Epic competes to be a leading service provider in various areas, including engine space, server hosting, and asset marketplaces. Sweeney also expressed his concerns about Apple's potential attempts to dominate the metaverse, either by stifling it or extracting all the profit. He stressed the need for robust antitrust laws to prevent this from happening. With the metaverse expected to grow exponentially, reaching several billion users by the end of the decade, Epic is focused on building an open environment where companies can thrive on their merits.