Google's Virtual World Effort Underway?

Since last year, after One to One held the "Get a Second Life" conference in conjunction with MITX, I have agreed with the idea that the next major player to enter the virtual world market (i.e. Second Life) would be Google.  In fact, I am a staunch believer that any major player with a 3-D mapping platform in place (Google Earth, Microsoft Virtual Earth, etc.) will be looking to add some type of metaverse/social networking functionality to their efforts in the near future.

Well, it seems as if there is some signal intel generating from the blogsphere regarding a "major Internet company" recruiting beta testers at Arizona State University to experience a new 2d/3d social network/virtual world platform called "My World".

Taking into consideration that the sign-up form only asks for a GMail Account and that ASU is also involved with a program around Google Apps, that idea that "My World" is in fact a Google initiative is not that far out of the question. 

Below are some additional links that may be useful to anyone who finds thi development interesting:

• http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-01-29-n22.html
• http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=4225374
• http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/24/google-preping-a-second-life-competitor/

Jeremi Karnell-President, One to One Interactive

Comments

[Jay Selway]

I have a feeling, that in five years we're all going to be strapped to a desk and attached to a computer by a cable. We'll spend our days shopping for new pants for our online avatars and dog food for virtual pets.

Fear.