Virtual Worlds News

Who's New to Virtual Worlds – June 12, 2009, Wrap Up

Eva Moon and her real life band, the Lunatics, bring worlds together in a simultaneous live and virtual release concert for their new CD, Moon Falling Down. In Second Life and at Soulfood Books in Redmond, WA, June 27. More info.

Cisco Live is coming to Second Life for the third year running. The company hosts activities in-world on June 30 and July 1. More info.

UPDATE: Founded in 1840, University of Maryland-Baltimore is the oldest dental school in the US. Their virtual school is one of the newest. This story updates a previous VirtualWorldsNews.com story. More info.

Newly launched Metaplace will have a bit of a sci-fi flavor when it hosts New York Times best-selling science-fiction writer Tobias S. Buckell on The Stage at 2pm, Tuesday, June 16. More info.

RedLightCenter.com Plans Second Life "Embassy"

In March, Linden Lab VP of customer relations Cyn Skyberg introduced a policy change that would see Adult-only activities and content in Second Life moved to a separate continent. "The core goals of this initiative are to improve Second Life for everyone -- by giving Residents more control over what they see, and by providing the best available method to make Adult content accessible only to those who ought to (and who desire to) access it," the post said.

Second Life watchers reacted strongly. Web site Massively.com wrote, "this is certainly one of the most -- perhaps the most -- far-reaching and profound set of changes to Second Life since 2003."

The headlines from the mainstream press were predictable: Second Life Cracks Whip on Adult Content, wrote CNET; Second Life Putting A Leash On Sex, said Information Week; Second Life Moves Smutty Stuff to Virtual Pleasure Island, wrote the Linux Insider; and even the AP covered, saying Second Life Gets New 'X-rated' Continent.

Today one of the web's most notorious adult destinations, RedLightCenter.com and its owner Utherverse, checked in with its own response, saying it would open an "embassy" within Second Life to serve as safe house of sorts where those anxious to discuss the new Second Life policy could meet.

Funji Home Brings Avatars, Social Networking to iPhone

Picking up buzz this week is a new avatar-based social networking app for the iPhone, Funji Home. Funji offers up a cartoon experience that begins with outfitting one's avatar and then the avatar's room. There is chat, dancing, use of the iPhone accelerometer which let's you shake, rattle and roll a friend's avatar off the dance floor, and Facebook Connect which lets users publish in-game creations to their Facebook feed. A July update should add an option for virtual goods transactions, says Inside Social Games. Follow Funji on Twitter, Facebook, and a Funji Home company blog.

Welcome Curt Feldman, Our New Managing Editor

You may have noticed a slight change to the Virtual Worlds News masthead last week: I, Joey Seiler, am on my way out as Curt Feldman is on his way in. I'll be here until the end of May, helping with the transition process, finishing a few stories, and trying to write some sort of more proper wrap up to my two years covering the virtual worlds industry. 

Until then, feel free to contact me, but please go ahead and start letting Curt know about new news you have or hear about. You can reach out at curt [at] showinitiative [dot] com or 512-535-8650.

Microsoft Touting Success As Reaction Grid Server

Last week Microsoft released a case study touting the success of its virtual servers in the OpenSim-based ReactionGrid. The virtual world solution provider adopted Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V technology and SQL Server 2008.  The specific results are good to point out: with Microsoft's technology, ReactionGrid was able to double the number of avatars it could host on a sim and attract more business, growing sales 200%. As of March, ReactionGrid boasted 1,000 customers occupying 120 sims with approximately 6,000 objects and 15 concurrent users on each sim.

The more important message to me, though, is that Microsoft is looking at virtual worlds and their applications as substantial enough platforms to promote its own technology.  Microsoft is making some renewed pushes into the virtual worlds space with the Xbox 360 and its Virtual Earth platform, but from talking to evangelists at Microsoft and with this announcement, it's clear the company also wants to be involved in supplying the technology to a growing industry.

Elf Island Launches Children's Hospital Charity

Elf Island has been about charity and supporting good causes since its launch. The big hook of the virtual world is its GoodQuests, which ask users to play various games and complete virtual tasks for some sort of mirrored, real-world good. Today the company announced a new gifting option to bring memberships to patients at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Linden Gives Out $20k In Prizes For Second Life Projects

Last fall, Linden Lab announced the inaugural Linden Prize, a $10,000 award for projects that help make Second Life practical for the real world.  Today Linden announced that Studio Wikitecture and Virtual Ability  had tied for the prize, and each will be receiving $10,000 worth of Linden dollars.  

Metaversum And Virtual Italian Parks In Red Herring 100 Europe

Earlier this month the  Red Herring 100 Europe winners were announced. The award aims to recongize leading private technology ventures and opportunities in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa).  Among the winners are two virtual worlds companies.

Metaversum's mirror world, Twinity, is currently in an open beta with a large environment mocking up virtual Berlin. More cities are on the way.  Virtual Italian Park's Moondus offers a platform aimed at training, learning, and collaboration markets. We've taken a look at it before, but it sounds like things are picking up steam there as well, so expect to hear more soon.

Eight Virtual Worlds Recognized In OnHollywood 100

Earlier this week AlwaysOn announced its OnHollywood Top 100 list, aimed at recognizing the coming year's most promising and innovative digital media  and entertainment companies. Our sister site, Virtual Goods News, has already taken a look at the success of virtual goods companies--and the importance of the business model for entertainment. Theres's some overlap, but virtual worlds are occupying their own significant space in the community's mind.

Eight total virtual world companies were recognized:  IMVU earned praise in Consumer Services; both RocketOn and Club Cooee, virtual worlds that sit on top of the Web or desktop, were recognized as Content Delivery Networks; MyHollywood.com, an entertainment-themed property set to launch a world for older women, was praised as a Digital Content Publisher; Genkii, which just debuted this month, earned praise as an Enabling Tool; and MMO developer Gazillion and virtual world developer Sulake were recognized in the Gaming category. Congrats to all the winners.

UPDATED 2: Second Life Adultery Linked To Murder

There's been plenty of stories and mainstream media hubub about adultery in Second Life and even Gore Verbinski has joined the party with plans to make a movie about the topic. There's also plenty of attention paid to crime, supposed or actual, related to Second Life, from both the media and government officials.  Regardless, it obscures other discussions about practical applications for virtual worlds.

With that in mind, it's worth being aware of a story breaking this week about an Italian man who allegedly decapitated his wife after catching her talking to another man in Second Life. It's tragic, but also a sensational combination of sex and violence. The police have confiscated three computers from the house, so I imagine we'll be hearing more about the story and Second Life this week. [via Daily Mail]

UPDATE: Massively says that no local coverage is linking Second Life to the murder.

UPDATE2: The Daily Mail has removed the reference to Second Life, though without an online correction.