The metaverse, an interactive form of the internet that reflects the physical world and includes shopping and entertainment, has received outsize attention in 2021, as large corporations including Microsoft and Meta (formerly Facebook) have started to invest billions in the new space. Over the past few months, attention from investors has been focused on a digital land grab in particular, which has seen plots on platforms like the Sandbox and Decentraland sell for as much as $4.3 million.