Headlines are tricky to write. The story here is that there are rumours floating around (hence the question mark) that Microsoft may have acquired Linden Labs. The problem with putting that in a headline (aside from space restrictions) is that most of you will have no idea who Linden Labs are. I didn’t, until I read the story.
Do you remember when Home was gearing up for release and everyone in the games press (me included) made jokes about it being Sony’s version of Second Life? Well, it seems like Microsoft might be buying up the company responsible for that “virtual world” which Home was so obviously (with hindsight) not based upon.
This is by no means a firm news story yet but according to rumour, the Seattle software giants have either already sealed the deal or it is at very advanced stages. Linden Labs announced the closure of their UK office this week too so there is definitely something going on at that company.
The implications of this could be huge. Microsoft might be moving to put an immersive environment for their newly-grown Avatars onto the Xbox 360. On the other hand, it might be some sort of new chat plug in for MSN that they’re interested in. Alternatively, it might be some sort of unheard of middleware that Linden have been working on and Microsoft want to use. With a company the size and scope of Microsoft it’s really difficult to tell.
We’ll keep an eye out and let you know.
3shirts
Oh noes! Poor Sony. They will lose the sales of all those people buying PS3s because of Home! lol
Porcupine_I
yes, and the 2 people who did already will be devastated :-D
exellentgamer
home is where i met a hot gf that was HOT
bunimomike
Was it your biting intellect that she fancied?
lewis815
Would have thought this would be a bit foolish if Microsoft really have brought this for the XBOX, mainly because I would imagine that if anybody wanted to play Second Life, they would do so on PC. In addition to this the control scheme wouldn’t lend itself well to a console controller. Plus what would it really bring to the console? Unless there would be some sort of Kinect compatability? MS would have seen how pretty much useless Home is to the majority of gamers.
cheekyMcB
And there are meant to be some very dodgy Redlight District-esque areas in Second Life (see this article http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/354457/whatever-happened-to-second-life). MS would surely have to create a new service or shut down elements of the existing service to satisfy their family-friendly image and it’s demographic.
a inferior race
Second life plus kinect where you could interact with the would directly.
3shirts
That exists, it’s called RL
lewis815
*likes*
a inferior race
Haha, you got me there.
solidsteven
if they have brought 2nd life. they will charge double and probably bring it to the xbox
3shirts
2 x 0 = 0
Good price
lewis815
lol, I think he may mean the in game currancy which is needed to do anything of note in second life.
hazelam
hasn’t 2nd life turned into one big orgy or something?
ms wouldn’t want that for the xbox would they?
BIGAL-1992
“hasn’t 2nd life turned into one big orgy or something?”
XD
BalramRules
well, hasn’t this topic already been posted the day before this article was posted?
or is it just me readin this article twice? =1