Metaplace lets you grow your own virtual world

Metaplace lets you grow your own virtual world

There are 30,000 new virtual worlds on the web today, thanks to Metaplace.

The San Diego-based company has created a platform that lets users create their own characters and virtual worlds. They are all interconnected in one site, which can highlight various worlds through its centralized… Continue Reading

Metaplace raises more funding to be the MySpace of virtual worlds

Metaplace raises more funding to be the MySpace of virtual worlds

Metaplace, a company that will allow anybody to build their own virtual world and access it through through an ordinary web browser, has taken $6.7 million in funding as it nears a public release.

There hasn’t been much hype around Metaplace yet, probably because of the… Continue Reading

Four startups talk about making casual games work (caution: time sink)

Four startups talk about making casual games work (caution: time sink)

Online gaming is of more interest to more people than ever. That’s because of casual games — small, low-budget, easy-to-learn entirely online creations that are increasingly becoming a part of online life.

The great thing about casual games is that they’re so casual. They don’t require big… Continue Reading

Roundup: Kyte gets more, Microsoft’s ad deal, NetSuite’s golden IPO, more

Roundup: Kyte gets more, Microsoft’s ad deal, NetSuite’s golden IPO, more

Here’s the latest (updated) action:
1) Kyte.tv raises $15 million
2) Electric Sheep Company lays off 22
3) FCC receives 700MHz auction applications
4) Microsoft signs $500M ad deal
5) GPS devices fly off the shelves
6) Netsuite sets high price for planned IPO
7) Eric Eldon, celebrity at large?

Kyte.tv raises $15M… Continue Reading

Introducing VastPark, the owner of OpenSocial.com

Introducing VastPark, the owner of OpenSocial.com

OpenSocial, Google’s ambitious project to set standards for developers across Web sites, won accolades all round.

Except for its funky URL: http://code.google.com/apis/opensocial/. You’ll never remember it.

Guess who owns www.OpenSocial.com.

Answer: An Australian company called VastPark which, it turns out, has an open vision that is very similar… Continue Reading

Mint wins Techcrunch. Latest start-ups: mEgo, Wixi, Xtr3D, Flowplay

Mint wins Techcrunch. Latest start-ups: mEgo, Wixi, Xtr3D, Flowplay

This just in: The winner of the Techcrunch40 event is Mint, the personal finance company (see our coverage here).

Meanwhile, below is the last batch of Techcrunch companies, from Tuesday’s afternoon session. After hitting VentureBeat readers with 40 start-ups over the past two days, we’re going… Continue Reading

Metaplace, building a universe full of virtual worlds

Metaplace, building a universe full of virtual worlds

When Raph Koster spoke to us in December about his startup Areae, he implied that independent games had a greater earning potential than traditional studio-produced games.

Now he’s putting his money where his mouth is, launching the website Metaplace and launching today at the TechCrunch40 conference.

Metaplace,… Continue Reading