Why subscribe?

My focus is on cinematic experiences in virtual environments that unfold through interactive, branching narratives.

Why “The Metaverse Is Open”?

Because the future of immersive experiences shouldn’t be locked behind corporate gates. I believe in open tools, open knowledge, and open worlds. This newsletter advocates for a metaverse that is interoperable, creative, and constructed with ethics.

I value the open platform that has enabled the Web. How do we ensure that the metaverse is built on a similarly open ecosystem and not controlled by one mega-corporation and billionaires?

The Metaverse isn’t a product. It’s a shift in how we experience stories, spaces, and ourselves.

I’m Jeff Barry: educator and indie game developer. I’ve spent the last 35 years working across full-stack development, academic libraries, digital storytelling, and college-level teaching in data science, artificial intelligence, writing, and digital culture. Now, I’m focused on one guiding question:

How will real-time graphics and generative AI reshape creativity and storytelling?

What You’ll Get

✳️ Deep dives on AI for interactive storytelling, real-time graphics, and the future of digital presence

🔁 Insights on open-source tools, development pipelines, and the ethics of building immersive environments

🛠 Benchmarks, and technical commentary grounded in real experiments and projects

📚 Essays from my forthcoming book Imaginary Presence: Avatars of Our Spectacular Selves

🔗 Curated signals and trend analysis across mixed reality, game design, and generative AI

AI Lessons

If you like this topic, be sure to watch my YouTube channel AI Lessons.