Improbable has partnered with Nvidia, Google, Dolby, and the Japanese gaming company Ubitus to launch its decentralized metaverse network: MSquared (M²). Improbable hopes its vision will eventually go on to challenge US tech giants including Meta and Microsoft.
The British metaverse firm announced its plans on Friday for a “network of interoperable Web3 metaverses,” in which users can live, work, and interact.
MSquared metaverse
Improbable has launched MSquared (M²), an advanced network of interoperable metaverses that can operate in-browser, hosting up to 10,000 live participants without download requirements.
Instead of asking users to download software MSquared will be accessed via cloud streaming. The system is being touted as similar to watching a TV show on Netflix, allowing users to forget about technical matters and focus solely on the experience.
“The purpose of the metaverse is to enable new interactive entertainment experiences,” said Herman Narula, Improbable’s co-founder and CEO.
Speaking to CNBC on Friday, Narula was also keen to emphasize why the decentralized nature of MSquared was an important feature of what they were creating.
“This [MSquared] really isn’t about Improbable,” said Narula.
The founder stressed that it was important that users and developers, “don’t feel locked into working with Improbable.”
Improbable previously partnered with Yuga Labs to create the Bored Apes Otherside metaverse. Late last year Otherside hosted 7,200 concurrent players in a single metaverse space. The event is proving to be a proof of concept for Improbable’s MSquared vision.
They say a "picture paints a thousand words".
We say a video shows thousands of opportunities!
Here's the video @HermanNarula, CEO of @improbableio shared on stage at #VivaTech pic.twitter.com/AeJdkI0odS
— M² (@MSquared_io) June 16, 2023
Collaborations wanted
Improbable’s concept of interoperable metaverses is the differentiator to existing concepts from Meta and Apple. The collaborative nature of the project means that MSquared will only flourish if it is able to attract quality partners.
“I’m OK with that,” Narula said. “It’s not just that I’m OK with it, it’s an essential facet of making this an economic reality.”
As yet Improbable has not named any of the brands that have been invited to join the MSquared party. But it is rumored that the first brand partner – a major sporting brand – will be named at some point this week.
MSquared is already inviting developers to play and experiment with its tools in order to familiarize themselves with its capabilities.
Who is Improbable?
Improbable is a UK-based metaverse company building “interconnected user experiences in the metaverse.”
The company partnered with Yuga Labs, the creators of Bored Apes Yacht Club, to bring its Otherside metaverse to life.
The company has historic ties to both the US and UK defense industries. In December 2022 the company announced that it was closing its US defense subsidiary to refocus on commercial metaverse applications.
This refocusing of the brand is now bearing fruit in the form of MSquared.
In October 2022 Improbable closed a $100 million funding round valuing the company at more than $3 billion.
Improbable’s MSquared offshoot raised a further $150 million in April. Among the high-profile investors were Andreessen Horowitz and Japan’s SoftBank. Further investment came from DCG, CMT, Mirana, SIG, Ethereal Ventures, Saranac partners and Round13 DAF.
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