"My World"—Is Google Planning to Rival Second Life?

Rumors of Google working on a new virtual world to rival Second Life are running rampant. The company is believed to be collaborating with Arizona State University to test their new 3D social network for launch later this year. For now ASU is running a prototype program allowing students to get an early glimpse of what seems to be a 3D-world filled with avatars. The new “world” may be somehow integrated into Google's current applications of Google Earth and Google Maps.

ASU students received a questionnaire yesterday that hinted at Google's future plans. Specifically, the questionnaire mentioned that students would be testing a product that will be publicly launched later this year by a "major Internet company", that reputable sources are claiming is definitely Google. It also made reference to avatars, 3D modeling, and gaming. The social network referenced by the questionnaire has been dubbed "My World."

As pointed out by the Google Operating System blog, ASU has had a heavy affiliation with Google in the past. ASU was among the first campuses to test Google Apps. All ASU campuses have full 3D models in Google Earth. Google even has an office at ASU's Tempe campus. The notion that Google might test the new service with ASU students is fairly reasonable.

In some ways, a virtual world would be a natural progression of Google Earth and its 3D representations of our planet. Users could create avatars, like those in Second Life. The "street view" feature of Google Maps could be incorporated, as well as Google SketchUp, with avatars being able to walk around on actual streets and enter real buildings to check out what's inside and socialize with other avatars. If the purpose isn’t to rival Second Life, then what else could it be?

Google Earth CTO Michael Jones insisted in January that Google Earth would never dive into the type of fantasy world that Second Life represents. If that were true then Google's implementation would be a virtual representation of real life. But it is likely that Google will mesh its existing tools into one, thus creating a new advertising opportunity aimed at people, who are "walking" down virtual streets as their avatar to check out virtual stores and businesses that may exist in real life. It may even incorporate some of its social ventures, such as the networking site Orkut and Google Talk, in order to entice consumers to spend more time there.

But whatever the reality of "My World" ends up being, it is likely that Google will go beyond just competing with Second Life and may even stand a chance at drawing in the average Internet user, something that Second Life has yet to do.

But Google hasn't admitted to anything yet. A Google spokesperson would only give Ars Technica this curt, cryptic hint.

"We're always looking for new ways to help our users connect with each other, share information, and express themselves, but we don't have any new details to share at this time."

Posted by Rebecca Sato