Virtual Worlds are closing down

December 22nd 2009

Metaplace a virtual world by Raph Koster, shut down after two years of operation, founded in 2007. "Over the last several years, we here at Metaplace have been working very hard to create an open platform allowing anyone to come to a Web site and create a virtual world of their own," the company wrote in an email announcement. "Unfortunately, over the last few months it has become apparent that Metaplace as a consumer (user-generated content) service is not gaining enough traction to be a viable product, requiring a strategic shift for our company."

The company had raised over $9.4 million in venture capital financing, from backers including Charles River Ventures, Crescendo Ventures, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz.

March 4th, 2010

Makena to Close Down Online Virtual World There.com
Makena Technologies, the builder of virtual worlds and operator of online virtual world There.com, has announced plans to shutter the 12-year-old service on March 9, founded in 1998, There.com has to date raised some $35 million in venture capital financing. Makena CEO Michael Wilson said in a blog post that the company was hit by the recession, seeing revenues decrease. In addition to There.com, Makena has also created virtual worlds for MTV Networks.

While Second Life struggles along and Frenzoo is one of the several others worlds trying to make a new shift and change to survive ... And where would a host virtual worlds such Club Penguin, Webkinz, Habbo whom had amass a huge amount of venture money go next ? Habbo had make a shift and is concentrating its tech efforts in the new space - Social Networks such as Facebook.

2007 - 2010
Spring of 2007 when I was still working as a consultant at Sulake ( Habbo ), Second Life, There, Entropia and other 3D worlds were the super stars of the show Virtual Worlds Conference. Today the organizer had changed it's name to ENGAGE EXPO and those 3D worlds are all but forgotten. Both me and my partner had predicted this would happen in late 2007 when we started iLEMON specializing in 2D and 2.5D kids and teens white-label virtual worlds development ( *check-out my former blog - http://dragoncalvin.blogspot.com/ ).

Note of The Day

"Goes where the money is always ..."