ING and ABN flee Second Life
Following American early adopters Wells Fargo, AOL and Pontiac, the Dutch exodus from Second Life has started. Banking corporation ING, who initiated the Our Virtual Holland sims are withdrawing from Second Life.... Destination unknown. Residents of the OVH are now trying to make the islands survive the departure and it looks like they will be able to keep the community alive. The ING HQ in Second Life has been torn down though.
The second Dutch banker in Second Life, ABN Amro, is said to be leaving as well. The Word on the street is that they're disappointed by the level of interactivity they've gotten in Second Life and are moving on to a dedicated world on the Active Worlds platform.
For many of us this won't be a big surprise. Many bankers have entered the world of Second Life in 2007, but few have been able to find a concept which comes close to their real world activities, even though virtual economies and in particular that of Second Life are among the fastest growing economies in the world.
Labels: abn amro, active worlds, AOL, banking, ing, pontiac, second life, virtual holland
posted by VeeJay Burns at
Saturday, February 09, 2008
8 Comments:
Sad news.
I wonder why ABN think Active Worlds will be better?
Given the piddlingly small investment required to keep a site running, I am very concerned by these moves.
Well, it's competition. ING created our virtual holland in SL,
ABN is moving to Active Worlds Europe, who are building a virtual holland...by which they mean the complete virtual holland.
The CEO of AW-Europe told me today they're building a virtual replica of Holland which will take you several days to walk through if you keep your finger on the arrow key. No wonder ING is abandoning Our Virtual Holland in SL
I can't help but wonder if the departure of these banks are not progress... in terms of virtual worlds in a broader context.
I am (also) a fan of Second Life, and believe it makes strategic sense to have a presence on the platform. However, if the company goals are better served elsewhere (also read more securely) with a better experience, then so be it...
Having said the above, it is imperative (in my opinion) that Linden Lab conducts 'exit interviews' to determine real reasons.. If I was working for LL, I would make an effort to understand goals long before a company makes the decision to pack its bags. Surely, a presence (if not an entire strategy and many sims) is warranted in SL?? Could this not be achieved?
Looking forward to see where this is all heading. I am also worried about Second Life, but remain very optimistic...
The difference between LL and AW is that LL tries to be a platform company, while AW is also making content.
If somebody needs to do an exit interview, it should be the company that brought those companies to SL.
After all, what was the reason for those companies to be present in SL? And what is the reason to move to AW? Marketing?
What have those 2 banks done in SL? Just "be" there?
One thing about the ING they will not go completly. Few departments will remain. Search for ING and you know which ones.
The legacy of OVH will stay behind and that is one good achievement of the ING project.
As the community they builded will continue. So after march it will be business as usual...
In part of ING I would not say fleeing..other reasons are there and they keep the road open for return. (maybe in SL maybe who ever is dominant in the future of virtual worlds)
ABN i am not aware of their disappointment. Only suprised as they toke it big.... is it they just got into it and not lived it???
@Louis
ABN used to be very active in SL, organizing lectures about the stockmarket, web3.0, Young professional events, tennistournaments. They were the first I know of (in the netherlands) with a host.
Making use of an active panel of SL-ers to brainstorm about new activities.
Maybe it has something to do with the company being taken over by Fortis.
The problem with SL according to me is the following, Sl has created itself a pejorative sound
It is too much associated with the total spectrum of s*x . In firstworld people even have second thoughts about telling they are in SL.
My prediction on future online worlds is:
*world of warcraft: for the diehard goaldriven gamer.
*secondlife: for the whole spectrum of love and experimentation.
*a third party (don't know who yet): for the further development of future online worlds.
Maybe they should try World of Warcraft instead ;)
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