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There Inc. Stops Consumer 'Virtual World' Updates

Posted by simoniker on from the just-about-still-there dept.

Thanks to Terra Nova for its story discussing a major refocusing at PC 'virtual world' company There Inc., as an official statement mirrored on ThereUniverse.com explains the company is "changing its strategic direction to focus on our technology platform", and "we will no longer be making regular updates to the [There 'virtual world' consumer] software, and we will not be fixing bugs", some claim due to plateauing interest in the game. Terra Nova points out: "Presumably There will be continuing their work with organizations like the US Army. Though they make it clear that this isn't a shut-down of the consumer world, it can't be good news for the development of virtual worlds beyond the typical D&D-inspired MMOGs", a category which also includes PC 'virtual world' title Second Life.

2 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. so where is the "game"?? by oooorainbow · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Their biggest problem is there isn't enough game to it, and people lose interest very quickly. Numerous companies like this have seen failures in the Asia part of the world, and no, a shift to technology focus will not change their fate. They are no idSoft.

    --
    no sig, dude!
  2. Not to be compared with Second Life by MBraynard · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Second Life was a limitless environment - people living inside of a CAD programing environment. You could *create* your own RPG or FPS or whatever within it. Mostly I created odd architectual objects and star trek uniforms. But you could really create any kind of object and program scripts to make it do pretty much anything.

    Most people just built houses and furniture, but some were exceptionally creative and ambitious.

    Compare There to the Sims Online maybe. Not to Second Life.