Nice writeup!
I think the "full VR" version of the Metaverse is probably a little oversold these days. The main barrier being the friction involved in VR hardwear. Like the Google Glass debacle, even tech-savvy folks generally can't picture themselves slapping on a helmet to go visit the Metaverse.
What is much more viable in the short term, IMO, will be the "in world advertising" that you describe. And gaming will be the likely lead on this. Even though everyday people are used to interacting with digital spaces, these spaces are overwhelmingly 2D and they are not surrogates for, say, a park or nightclub.
Gamers are disproportionately comfy with immersive 3D worlds, or 2D digital spaces meant to replicate a story or situation. That's what gaming kind of is, in a sense.
An interesting question is: Where/when will the bridge happen? What will get the more mainstream public into something like Gaming or AR/VR? My hipshot guesses:
- Advanced socialization through "3D FaceTime"
- Adaptation/innovation for remote work: creation of 2D or 3D gamified spaces to represent workspaces
- A critical mass in crypto or Web3, where it becomes socially awkward to not have a stake in a DAO/dApp, etc.