#016 Michael Shoup: Deep Dive on MONARK, the Metaverse, Creator Rights, and User Experience

Michael Shoup sets aside his role as The Maestro at Faceless Labs to tell us about his latest endeavor: MONARK Market -- a marketplace model for the metaverse. In a wide-ranging discussion, Evan and Michael discuss the state of the metaverse (challenges, opportunities, creator rights and user experience), debate web3 licensing models, and share a philosophical exploration of what the metaverse of the future might look like--plus how you can get involved!

1:31 Michael’s introduction: from music -> marketing -> blockchain -> the metaverse 3:53 What is the metaverse?
8:13 Problems & opportunities
12:12 Zooming in on marketplaces and a lack of universal standards
14:28 MONARK marketplace - bridging the gap to a more integrated, user-friendly experience
19:18 “Where do NFTs fit?” Novel solutions for unlocking content
24:53 Why should makers care about this? (True contract ownership, asset protection, royalties, etc.)
30:58 Marketplaces vs. Artists - respecting royalties*
32:10 What will it cost to use MONARK? 
35:51 The “Migration” community marketing campaign: $FLUTTER bounties and revenue sharing
38:38 Beyond launch: the future of MONARK
40:56 Beyond VR: more mental models and use cases for everyday life
42:35 The implications of immutability (and why “wallet” is a limiting word)
44:19 Michael vs. Evan: IP and digital assets
51:23 Giving creators the spotlight: how Michael’s background in music influences MONARK’s approach
52:51 How to connect with Michael, start using MONARK, or participate in Migration
56:50 Metaverse talk shows, graffiti, and performance art
1:01:45 “Do you have a favorite Metaverse experience?”
1:05:45 Philosophical musings, what we would build, and a deeper understanding of what it means to be human
1:11:43 “Any sufficiently advanced technology should be indistinguishable from magic.”

*This episode was filmed in October, as marketplaces/creator royalties were becoming a hot topic. Any facts or figures quoted may have changed (what can we say—we were early!)

monark.market
linktr.ee/madebymonark
https://twitter.com/michaelshoup
__

Enjoy!

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