Ready Player One author, producer to bring IP to metaverse

Ernest Cline, the author of Ready Player One, and Dan Farah, the producer of Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of the story, have partnered with artificial intelligence (AI) and metaverse company Futureverse to develop a digital universe for Ready Player One.

Together with Futureverse’s Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald, Cline and Farah will co-found Readyverse Studios, a firm that will launch a metaverse called the “Readyverse,” which they described as a “platform of interconnected digital experiences.” 

We couldn’t be more excited to announce that we’ve teamed up with @readyplayerone creator and producer to launch Readyverse Studios to bring leading IP and brands to the metaverse. pic.twitter.com/6sU6FpOSdE

— Futureverse (@futureverse) January 4, 2024

Futureverse announced on X (formerly Twitter) that Readyverse Studios has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery to bring the Ready Player One franchise exclusively to the metaverse and across Web3. In addition, Readyverse will maintain exclusive Web3 rights to all future intellectual property (IP) from Cline.

In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, Farah said they have already started conversations with major studios and rights holders of IPs, and they’re leaning into figuring out collaborations with Readyverse. 

In the announcement, Futureverse said the Readyverse will “champion the principles of the open metaverse.” This includes interoperability, security, decentralization, community-owned infrastructure and provable digital ownership, according to Futureverse. 

Related: Neal Stephenson’s blockchain project holds discovery month as metaverse hype wanes

In 2022, Web3 platforms created the Open Metaverse Alliance to ensure that the metaverse retains principles like transparency, inclusiveness, decentralization and democratization. The organization was established by prominent Web3 names such as Animoca Brands, Dapper Labs, Decentraland and The Sandbox.

In 2022, an executive said Ready Player One’s depiction of the metaverse was unrealistic. At the Korean Blockchain Week 2022, Everyrealm CEO Janine Yorio said the movie gave the community a glimpse into life in the metaverse. However, the executive argued that many metaverses are being developed for the desktop instead of being in virtual reality, like in the movie. 

Magazine: Which gaming guild positioned itself best for the bull market?