Second Life - Made In Japan?
June 6th, 2007
Co-Core, a joint venture between the Transcosmos marketing firm, the Sankei Shimbun news organization, and the From Software game development agency is developing a 3D virtual world catering specifically to the Japanese called Meet-ME.
Dubbed “Second Life, Made in Japan,” by the Japanese Media, the software was announced on June 5th and is set to be released in a winter alpha. Meet-ME’s main difference from Linden Lab’s pioneering Second Life virtual world is its user-friendliness and sex free environment. The project aims to cater to Japanese people of all ages. The metaverse will recreate the streets of Tokyo’s 23 wards and prohibit the adult content prevalent in Second Life.
Although being initially developed for machines running Windows Vista, the developers plan to expand the compatible systems to even mobile phones. They also plan to expand the metaverse beyond Tokyo to other regions of Japan and eventually other countries. Co-Core is aiming for one million users by the end of 2008.
Like Second Life - the development company will profit from taxing transcations on virtual world currencies and economy.
Not much else is known but we’re curious to know where and how in game and or avatar advertising is going to fit in this model.
Will this system be popular with Japanese users? That will have to wait and see.
More information @ IT Media Japan
