The Metaverse dominated CES 2023 as a theme, with many companies showcasing their latest developments in this exciting new technology. It's no surprise that the Metaverse was a hot topic at this year's CES, as it has captured the public's imagination as the next big thing in the world of technology.

Many people believe that the Metaverse and virtual reality (VR) go hand in hand, and it's easy to see why. The Metaverse is a virtual world where people can interact with each other and with virtual objects, and VR is the technology that makes it possible for people to experience the Metaverse in a fully immersive way.

However, some experts have pointed out that the technical debt of not building VR first could be significant for those companies looking to enter the Metaverse. Steve Koenig, a technology analyst, has said that "any dialogue recently around the metaverse is likely to be met with scepticism because we've seen up until now, I think, general marketing spin and actual disagreement in what metaverse means". He goes on to say that technology and strategy relating to use cases are the two most important features for a successful Metaverse platform.

Despite losing steam as a topic in late 2022, the Metaverse is here to stay and those focused on VR first and extended reality (XR) platforms have every reason to be optimistic going forward. Creators are key to the success and ongoing development of the Metaverse, and although it's likely that there will be multiple platforms going forward, standards and portability will be vital in order for the Metaverse to thrive.

On the other hand, those focused on mobile-first platforms may face significant technical debt and are generally focused on gaming alone. This means that they may struggle to bridge users across to VR first platforms, which have the potential to be much more versatile and immersive.

Overall, it's clear that the Metaverse is a technology to watch, and the 2023 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada was proof of this. With over 100,000 people and 3,000 exhibitors in attendance, the Metaverse was a major theme at the event and will likely continue to be a key focus in the tech industry going forward.