To some, Second Life might seem like distant flash in the pan. First launched in 2003, Second Life is a virtual space that allows players to rent land with real world money and build their own virtual spaces through the purchase of in-game assets. Despite the early hype, the game never managed to escape its tightly-nit fan base and reach wider appeal. However, it seems like player dedication has allowed Linden Lab, the company behind the game, to launch a brand new VR-ready universe simulator by the name of Sansar.
Not to be confused with the red-headed Stark child on Game of Thrones, Sansar will allow users to create VR spaces for other players to explore. Sansar can be accessed on a PC, Occulus Rift, or HTC Vive, and operates through an unique platform, rather than relying on an existing game engine like Unity or Unreal. Just like Second Life, creating content within the game will require purchases from Sansar’s asset store. Below you can see a video of two environments being created on the platform.
Personally, I’m a little bit cynical towards the concept. Full disclosure; I played Second Life a bit in high school, and I personally found that there wasn’t a whole lot to do in the game. I’m sure that the platform has incredible potential, but I’ll probably just be busy playing Skyrim VR.
