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Improbable Developed The Metaverse Before It Was Cool

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The term ‘metaverse’ has been popping up a lot lately since Facebook announced its company name change to Meta. First coined in Neal Stephenson’s 1992 sci-fi novel Snow Crash, the metaverse is a virtual reality where people can log in and out as they please. In these worlds, you’re theoretically capable of anything. While Mark Zuckerberg is getting a lot of attention for the metaverse, it’s worth pointing out that Improbable was one of the first to develop it in earnest. 

Improbable enables flexibility for developers to create environments where consumers can have increasingly complex experiences, shared in multiplayer simulations. 

“In the future, these virtual worlds could have near-endless possibilities, a metaverse where ordinary people not only have access to set experiences but agency – agency to consume and produce, agency to participate and create, agency to exchange and add value to the world itself.”

Lincoln Wallen, CTO of Improbable, joined the company in 2019 after successful stints at DreamWorks Animation and EA Mobile. Since age 16, Wallen has had an interest in software development and technology. 

Lincoln Wallen, CTO of Improbable

In the last few years, Improbable has made great strides on its mission to transform the games industry, driven by consumer experience. 

It’s an incredibly exciting time to be at such an innovative business.”

What Does Improbable Do?

Improbable is a British company that creates and powers virtual worlds. Founded in 2012, Improbable has a vision to “bring about rich, interactive environments that will transform economies to make people happier, safer, and more connected.” 

Once people have environments with elements of agency it becomes more like the real world, where we enjoy entertainment, and pleasurable and meaningful experiences to love and nurture each other. 

“Ultimately, metaverse and virtual worlds hold possibilities for people to create new dimensions to what matters most to them, like the relationships we need to thrive. 

“Vital experiences can give humanity an entirely new world of possibilities and that’s what we’re striving to achieve at Improbable.”

How Is This Different From ‘Meta?’

As mentioned previously, Zuckerberg may be getting most of the attention, but what Meta is doing with their virtual reality is completely different from what Improbable is doing. Meta is creating its own digital space while Improbable is supplying that technology to the video game world with the aspiration to create one of their own. 

Improbable is a company dedicated to providing technology for game makers to enable powerful virtual worlds and simulations designed to help solve previously intractable problems with a goal to build a metaverse of our own.”

“We work with customers who invent services, which we support and operate, and provide ingredient technologies. So in that sense, we’re a partner and service provider. 

“We’re also pioneers who experiment ourselves with services and develop content, but our primary business is to service partners who are doing this and our job is to provide the architecture, identifying the difficulties, and building solutions for the future. 

“We believe that it is from this supportive ecosystem that a true metaverse will emerge.

Concerns About The Metaverse

With issues like video game and internet addiction being very real problems, it’s sensible to look at the metaverse with a cautious eye. If you’ve ever seen proposed virtual office spaces (known as the ‘Nth Floor’), they give off very Star Trek Borg vibes. 

While we live in a world where our reality seems to get increasingly dire, the drive to escape said reality becomes more and more attractive. But while that same reality is in trouble, escaping it can only hurt. So, why even dive into the metaverse? What benefits are there? 

It’s probably too soon to know for sure what the consequences of the metaverse will be. But it’s not too soon to have them in the back of developers’ minds. 

To quote Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they never stopped to think if they should.

Not to, you know, bring the mood down or anything. 

What’s Cool About The Metaverse

While there are valid concerns about every technological advance, that shouldn’t be a deterrent. Jumping into the metaverse will launch us ahead in terms of how we experience the world and each other. 

Being able to put 10,000 people in the same virtual space who can see and interact with each other in real-time is unprecedented and it creates a landscape for the design of services that hasn’t been achieved before. That’s very exciting.

Any fans of gaming will surely jump into the metaverse with excitement and glee. Imagine World of Warcraft or Fortnite, only you’re “there.” It’s hard to imagine anything cooler. 

There is nothing inherently wrong with escaping reality. We’ve been doing it for longer than recorded human history. Do you think cave paintings were an attempt to stay grounded? How about books? Cinema? You get the idea. 

There are plenty of real-world applications to the metaverse that we haven’t even tapped into yet. Improbable is at the forefront of that mission. They have been developing this technology long before Zuckerberg ever got his hands on it. 

Improbable is marching ahead with this technology. It’ll be a treat to see how it all turns out.

Chris Blondell is a Philadelphia-based writer and social media strategist with a current focus on tech industry news. He has written about startups and entrepreneurs based in Denver, Seattle, Chicago, New Haven, and more. He has also written content for a true-crime blog, Sword and Scale, and developed social media content for a local spice shop. An occasional comedian, Chris Blondell also spends his time writing humorous content and performing stand-up for local audiences.

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What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Fast Turnaround

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Best Graphic Design Service for Fast Turnaround

TL;DR: Penji offers the fastest professional design turnarounds at 24-48 hours with unlimited revisions. Small business owners get agency quality without agency prices or timelines, keeping marketing moving fast.

The best graphic design service for fast turnaround is Penji, completing projects in 24-48 hours through an unlimited subscription model. Small businesses get dedicated designers, unlimited revisions, and consistent quality for $499+ monthly, much faster than traditional agencies or freelance platforms like Upwork.

What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Fast Turnaround?

Your to-do list doesn’t shrink just because your designer is slow. Between running operations, managing staff, and actually making sales, waiting weeks for marketing materials creates problems you don’t have time to solve.

Penji delivers professional design work in 24-48 hours through an unlimited subscription model. You get dedicated designers, unlimited revisions, and predictable monthly costs starting at $499. No chasing freelancers, no agency red tape, just reliable design when you need it.

The Hidden Cost of Design Delays

Every day your promotion sits in a designer’s queue is potential revenue walking out the door. That seasonal sale you planned? The event driving traffic to your store? The website refresh that’s been “almost done” for months? Delays add up.

Most small business owners try one of three approaches: hire a local agency (expensive and slow), find freelancers on Upwork (inconsistent quality and availability), or use cheap services like Fiverr (you get what you pay for). None solve the real problem of getting quality work done quickly.

Why Penji Works for Growing Businesses

Penji operates on a simple premise: businesses need ongoing design support, not occasional big projects. Their platform lets you submit unlimited requests that get completed one at a time, with most initial concepts delivered within 24-48 hours.

The subscription model changes the economics completely. Instead of budgeting project by project and wondering if you can afford that next piece of marketing collateral, you pay one flat monthly rate. Submit as much work as you need without invoice anxiety.

Your dedicated design team learns your business over time. They understand your brand guidelines, know what your customers respond to, and remember your preferences. That familiarity makes every project after the first one faster because you’re not re-explaining your vision.

They handle everything: logos and branding, website design, social media graphics, print materials, email templates, presentations. Whatever your marketing needs, it’s covered under one subscription.

At $499 monthly for the basic plan, it costs less than hiring a part-time designer but gives you access to an entire creative team. For businesses that need design regularly but can’t justify a full-time hire, the math makes sense.

Upwork: Managing Freelancers Takes Time

Upwork connects you with thousands of freelancers globally. The selection looks great until you realize you’re now running a hiring process for every project. Reviewing portfolios, reading reviews, interviewing candidates, negotiating rates… it all takes time you don’t have.

Even after finding someone good, availability becomes your next problem. Quality freelancers stay busy, which means your urgent project competes with everyone else’s deadlines. You might wait days or weeks depending on their schedule.

Then there’s the management work. You’re handling contracts, milestone payments, file transfers, and communication across different time zones. Penji takes care of all that so you can focus on running your business.

Fiverr: False Economy

Fiverr advertises cheap design work, which sounds good when you’re watching every dollar. The reality disappoints more often than not. Decent designers charge $100+ per project and take 3-5 days minimum. Want revisions? That costs extra. Need something more than basic? Quality rarely matches the low prices.

When you add up revision fees and rush charges, Fiverr projects often cost as much as a month of Penji while delivering worse results. Paying a bit more upfront for reliable quality actually saves money by avoiding do-overs.

Making the Right Investment

Your marketing either drives growth or wastes money. Reliable, fast design support keeps your marketing running smoothly instead of stopping every time you need creative work.

Penji’s unlimited approach gives you the creative capacity of an in-house team at a fraction of the cost. Submit work when inspiration strikes, get results within 48 hours, keep your marketing calendar on track.

Test Drive Professional Design

See how much faster your marketing moves with reliable design support. Try Penji and stop letting design delays hold your business back.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my designer is working on someone else’s project?

Your dedicated team manages their workload to keep the 24-48 hour turnaround. They’re assigned to you specifically, not juggling hundreds of other clients.

Can I pause my subscription during slow months?

Check with Penji about their current pause policies. Many businesses find they use it more than expected once they have it.

How do revisions work if I need them fast too?

Revisions follow the same 24-48 hour turnaround. Submit clear feedback and you’ll get updated versions within that timeframe.

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What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Brochures & Flyers?

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TLDR: For speed and affordabilities Penji is the best scalable design service that matches agency-quality results. Alternative niche options can be Kimp, LogoCent, and Design Spinners.

Did you know that 79% of consumers respond to direct mail while only 45% of consumers respond to emails? In a digital world, physical brochures and flyers reign supreme. But such creations take a learned talent. When you need the Best Graphic Design Service for Brochures & Flyers, you need someone who can keep up with your marketing team.

Below is a comparative guide to the best in the Design as a service industry.

Penji

Penji: Graphic design services

Need some stunning brochures and flyers to create a beautiful vision? Penji is the artistic mind for you. Thousands of marketers and agencies trust Penji’s platform for unlimited print designs for a monthly flat fee.

Features:

  • Unlimited Brochures & Flyer Designs: As many as you want, whenever you want
  • Fast Turnaround: Your first draft brochure or flyer could be in your hands in as little as 24 hours.
  • Vetted Print Designers: The top 2% of talent across the globe are there to help you with your print requirements.
  • AI Platform: An AI can connect you with the most fitting designer for your campaign.

Benefits:

There’s no need to hire an agency and pay agency fees. Get creative without concern over results as Penji can scale for whatever you need, whether you need only one flyer for an event or an entire collection of marketing brochures.

Kimp

Graphic design services

For an unlimited graphic design service that fosters beautiful print opportunities, Kimp is the ultimate all in one experience. Their subscription service is perfectly suited for entrepreneurs and small businesses, making it easy to fold into a budget.

Features:

  • Dedicated Teams: You will be placed with a dedicated team to ensure your branding efforts remain consistent.
  • Video and Graphics: In addition to Kimp for prints, Kimp has a Kimp option for video for motion graphic needs along with branding efforts.
  • Source Files: You own all source files acquired through the process.

Benefits:

You don’t have to worry about your branding efforts being funneled through multiple freelancers – Kimp is an all-in-one solution for motion graphics and print assets like brochures for company cohesion without the stress of managing multiple freelancers.

LogoCent

Don’t let the name fool you; LogoCent makes more than just logos but high quality design pieces and more! If you’re looking for a pay-per-project option without monthly commitment, LogoCent is great for sporadic projects.

Features:

  • Custom Packages: Pricing that matches your necessary project.
  • Brand Identity: Logos and flyers that maintain cohesion between designs.
  • Communication: You’ll have a project manager and taskmaster on hand for full assistance.

Benefits:

You won’t have to create contracts with anyone else monthly, just pay per project with LogoCent when your business needs a one-off flyer for a specific event or an annual brochure type.

Design Spinners

Design spinners: Graphic design services

Design Spinners operates like a fancy ad agency without the price; they’re like a middleman between the personal touch of freelance sites and the upper scale of fancy agencies, and they specialize in brochures, flyers, and marketing pieces.

Features:

  • Specialty Offers: Pitch decks, trade show materials and more!
  • Pricing Levels: Basic flyer features to agency features at premium pricing levels are available.
  • Strategy Focused Design: Those creating your materials will approach your project through a strategic lens to help whatever material is created find success.

Benefits:

It’s more than just a design – whatever project you seek with Design Spinners will provide you with facilitated guidance and tiered levels of service depending on what you’re looking to get most out of it.

Credit for Cover Image: Ron Lach on Pexels

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What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics Today?

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Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

Infographics are an effective tool for explaining complex ideas and making them easier to understand. Thus, many businesses use them in their content marketing efforts. If you need to incorporate this powerful tool into your business, here are the five best graphic design services for infographics:

Penji

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

For fast, high-quality infographics, Penji is your best bet. It offers unlimited graphic design services for fixed monthly fees. This allows you to get as many infographics, logos, social media graphics, web design, and custom illustrations as you need in a month. Unlimited revisions are also included, assuring you of the exact designs you want and need.

Visme

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

Now, for high-converting, engaging, and branded infographics, there’s Visme. It offers an AI-powered interactive platform where you can craft your own infographics from over 1,000 professionally designed templates. Its drag-and-drop tools let you publish your designs in minutes.

Kimp

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

Another unlimited graphic design platform, Kimp, can create infographics for your business for a flat fee. Its dedicated team of designers will learn your brand and style, allowing them to craft infographics and other designs that will align with your brand identity.

Canva

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

If you have an artistic eye, you will enjoy crafting your own infographics with Canva. It is a free platform where you can create infographics and many other design types using its templates. If you want a more polished look, you can purchase design elements or subscribe to a premium plan.

Flocksy

Best Graphic Design Service for Infographics

With the latest in design tools and an AI-powered platform, Flocksy is another graphic design service for infographics. It takes pride in delivering consistent, high-quality creative outputs aside from infographics. It offers a wide range of services, including video editing, web design, custom illustration, and even copywriting. Its simple, flat-rate pricing makes it a cost-effective design solution.

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