- Utherverse Inc.
Infobox_Company
company_type = Internet MMOC Company
company_name = Utherverse, Inc.
company_
company_slogan = Live Your Fantasy
foundation = flagicon|CanadaVancouver, British Columbia ,
location = flagicon|CanadaVancouver, British Columbia ,
key_people = Founder & CEO
Brian Shuster
homepage = [http://www.utherverse.net/ www.utherverse.net]Utherverse Inc. "(Also known as [http://www.utherverse.net Utherverse Digital Inc.] )" is an internet networking company focusing on bringing Web 2.0 technology, 3-D virtual environments, and social situations together. It was formed to enable the creation of massively multiplayer online communities.
Founded in 2002 [MarketWire, Sep 18, 2007: Utherverse.com, Second Life's Main Competitor, to Distribute Over $4.25 Million USD in New Virtual Currency [http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=771032] ] , Utherverse is the product of the creative collaboration of Ray Schwartz and Brian Shuster. The two advocated bringing the world together on a much greater scale than was currently available. The first creation hosted on the Utherworld platform was their Redlight Center, based on the real life Amsterdam. The environment (commonly referred to as RLC) has an adult theme which is the basis for much of the content.
More recently, Utherverse has released its next "city" in what it now refers to as the "Utherverse", which is called [http://www.virtual-vancouver.com Virtual Vancouver]
The Utherverse Concept
Essentially, the "Utherverse" is the universe or "
Metaverse " that engulfs all of the cities that make up the environment. Cities such as RLC and Virtual Vancouver, while both a part of the big picture, are each separate entities connected to each other by "transport centers".In keeping with its suggestion that there should eventually be "millions of worlds, all of them connected, searchable, and customized..." the company claims it will license the use of its software infrastructure to anyone who wishes to create entire worlds on the scale of either of its existing properties, and even in direct competition with them.
Critisism & Concerns
Despite being a somewhat newer company, Utherverse has had its share of criticisms and concerns. One of the biggest involves the addition of virtual drugs to Redlight Center. Critics claim that making the use of drugs this readily acceptable will only lead to a wide spread use of them flourishing with the members in real life. [ [http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/story.html?id=477e9a0a-e04f-4f36-9824-580fadf28a03 Canada.com -- Website offers virtual sex, drugs] ]
When asked if he thought this would lead to real life drug use, Utherverse CEO Brian Shuster said: "... my response would be, that if someone hasn't tried marijuana in the real world, and their first experience is with peer pressure in Red Light Center to try it, this actually gives them an experience that they can call on later as to whether they want to try it in the real world, or not, rather than just being carried away by peer pressure. ..." [The New Amsterdam: An Interview with Utherverse CEO, Brian Shuster [http://www.appscout.com/2007/04/the_new_amsterdam_an_interview_1.php] ]
References
External links
* [http://www.utherverse.net Utherverse Company Web Site]
* [http://www.utherverse.com Utherverse Social Center]
* [http://www.redlightcenter.com Red Light Center]
* [http://www.virtual-vancouver.com Virtual Vancouver]
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