An introduction to Composable Culture, what it is and why it matters
The current landscape of emerging technologies like blockchain, web3, ai-related solutions and others is paving the way for what I see as the rise of composable culture (or modular culture as one of my peers said1). While I have been hinting the concept in my writings before, an explanation of why an there should be an umbrella term, what are it’s characteristics and advantages is needed.
Firstly, this concept revolves around the idea of a thriving and fast-paced environment for entertainment and entertainment-related products. This evolution is fueled by AI, blockchain, user-generated content, and the creation of various intellectual properties. For the last decades, we have seen transmedia storytelling rise to prominence with ever-changing paradigms connected either with new distribution platforms, popularisation and expansions of the ways users engage with the internet, and democratization of IP creation and engagement. Entertainment now consists of hundreds of millions of IPs, some of which are highly successful and well-commercialized, while others are niche, and their creators are not thinking of moving them any further and are enjoying cosy communities they’ve managed to build around these spheres.
Traditionally, large conglomerates have been the gatekeepers of intellectual properties (and many other things), but now we are seeing a shift towards a more prominent role for composable culture's set-pieces. Where things get interesting is that composable culture is not only "culture" itself but products and solutions built around it2. This shift not only impacts entertainment, hardware, and content creation but also extends to areas such as payments, legalities, and infrastructure. Asking oneself the question of whether legal advice on IP elements or a new crypto wallet is a piece of culture might sound off, but not in AD 2024. Digital product building cannot be something that is outside of the pop culture circle, and both the GenAI revolution and (to a lower extent) the Web3 hype bubble from 2022 are perfect arguments for why that is. Were there no Stable Diffusion, we wouldn't be able to see the Night Drive piece at Melt Museum in Warsaw. Were there no web3 wallets, there wouldn't be a debate about asset ownership.
A perfect example of composable culture in terms of a holistic approach where digital and physical products intertwine and have a influence on culture, is the current strategy of NVIDIA and its possible outcomes. While the public eye is focused on Blackwell and the way it will influence the AI landscape, the plan to build a Steam Deck competitor caught my attention.
Here is a breakdown of why it matters and what influence it might have:
NVIDIA's work on GPUs and graphic cards and its main focus on AI has sprawled possibilities to rival AMD's dominance in the handheld PC landscape - SteamDeck, the biggest seller, is running on AMD. (Note: Nintendo Switch has an NVIDIA Tegra X1, but NVIDIA’s dominance and focus has always been on the PC)
NVIDIA might work on their own machine which would implement not only their own hardware but potential software gaming solutions - implementing GeForce Now as one of the two main ways to play (the other could be a traditional launcher, similar to Steam, built by them or by partnering with others and done to ensure a diverse customer group) would expand on their role in the entertainment sector.
In additional scenarios, NVIDIA might want to pursue a strategy similar to Microsoft - where they control not only hardware and infrastructure but also software. Microsoft has acquired numerous game developers throughout the years, with the most prominent acquisition being that of Activision Blizzard. Many additional questions can be added here - would NVIDIA try and develop their own intellectual properties or engage and iterate on many of the world's beloved gaming series? If they had their own digital distribution and storefront, would games that make use of Web3 tech and AI-generated assets be welcomed on that platform?
While this might sound like a universe of its own, apart from the composable culture principles of entertainment, Web3, AI, and other emerging tech, this case is a perfect example of their influence over various business verticals. Business decisions and events are crucial to all happenings in tech and entertainment. Even those dubbed “cultural”.
The influence of composable culture on consumer behavior is also a key aspect to consider, as it may lead to a more personalized and niche-focused approach to both content consumption and content creation. We have seen tribalization of the internet in its early days with net-bubbles that consisted of IRC chats, BBS boards, and email groups, and we can see fandoms and franchises mirroring this behavior in 2024 - not glued to one communication system but rather to a limited number of IPs they follow. They could engage3 with a given IP on Roblox, Telegram, Reddit, VRChat, or Gumroad. Lore is the center part of the mind map, while all the transmedia sources orbit around it. With more personalization, my hypothesis is that while we will see larger tribes focused on more prominent franchises that are still known today either because of the longevity factor (e.g., Star Wars, Mario) or its influencer origin or virality (e.g., MrBeast, AdoptMe experience on Roblox), as personalization becomes the core of experience creation, we will see the tribes becoming small-scale with their numbers growin. Creating IP that is hyper-personalized is a topic I will not dwell on in this article but only mention the importance of entertainment infrastructure and digital products within the space that can make this happen. What we are currently observing with Fortnite and Roblox is a perfect example - if we put Netflix and TikTok in the mix, we're witnessing the early stage of the War for One's Engagement.
As you can see, with the themes above, this is only the beginning and we have only scratched the surface. Yet, each of the themes and branches of composable culture is a vast space of it’s own and it will only keep on growing. That is because the future of entertainment is intricately linked to composable culture, or any other iterations of this concept4, and its implications are far-reaching. From the way content is created, distributed, consumed to the potential tribalization of content preferences and hardware we devour it, its impact extends to various aspects of our digital lives. As I continue to deconstruct and analyze this concept, it becomes apparent that a more comprehensive understanding of composable culture is essential for industry professionals and those interested in entertainment - not only from the IP-building perspective but because of its influence on the product landscape (aka "what we’re building") and business (aka "how are we selling / distributing it").
In conclusion, composable culture is not just a trend or a niche concept, but a broad umbrella term that encompasses the evolving landscape of entertainment, digital product creation, hardware wars, and consumer behavior. Its principles influence product development, pop culture, and content consumption, and it is imperative that it is approached with the seriousness and depth of analysis it deserves.
Modular feels like the pieces are just put together by glue, while composability is to me more of an intersection of trends, technological solutions, and sociological trends.
I use the term "product" interchangeably when talking about digital products such as wallets, payments, GenAI frontends, and when mentioning entertainment-related products like movies and series.
The future of entertainment requires more engagement from the user than mere social media following, and rather than mere comments and likes, a culture of participation and creation is highly appreciated. Hence, it is crucial to be aware of the difference.
Others have been working on or researching similar concepts to "Composable culture". A notable example is William M. Peaster, who coined the term "smart open metaverse", which he says is "the crossroads of AI, crypto, and virtual reality" and that it "will lead to an explosion of cultural activity over the next few decades." While not a mirror concept, as it puts an emphasis on VR rather than a transcendent form of media, it shows that an umbrella term is needed and helpful in navigating the hereafter.
Composable culture makes me think of early efforts to decentralize game IP development (which only recently have started working with Realms on Starknet perhaps) but this more expansive view makes a lot of sense and is very exciting!