High-end hardware has undoubtedly improved over the last few years, but the associated cost вЂ” which includes a gaming PC вЂ” has remained roughly the same. And the team didn't want to dilute the experience so it could run on mobile-powered hardware like Google Cardboard and Samsung's Gear VR.An exhibition by The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Sansar.'It's a long road, so that's why we made the decision to focus on both desktop and virtual reality and become more inclusive in the types of use cases and people that could be in it,' Ebbe Altberg, CEO of Linden Lab told Engadget this week.Altberg admits that Linden Lab leapt into the VR space 'a bit early' and had hoped 'for a bit steeper of a curve' in headset adoption. Linden Lab knew that the number of people with high-end VR headsets was small, though. At the time, there were many 3D chat room experiences вЂ” including Second Life вЂ” but few that allowed large groups to strap on a headset and freely converse. The company hoped that this mix would attract commercial clients вЂ” think museums, car manufacturers and record labels вЂ” that want their own VR experience but don't have the technical expertise to deal with game engines and digital distribution.Similarly, Linden Lab hoped Sansar would attract users who crave diverse worlds вЂ” like those promised in movies such as Ready Player One вЂ” and, if they have a creative spark, possibly make their own assets that can be shared and sold to the rest of the community.Sansar's VR compatibility was a big draw.

Scenes could be educational, Altberg explained to me years ago, with tour guides or pre-recorded audio narration.Sansar did attract some commercial clients including Hello Kitty creator Sanrio, Levi's jeans, and Fnatic, one of the largest esports organisations in the world. Clearly, Linden Lab was picturing Sansar as a platform that could offer more than entertainment. It had been created with photogrammetry вЂ” a technique that combines LIDAR-based data and 360-degree photography вЂ” and let you get up close with some beautiful paintings. The iPhone hasn't really come yet.'The official website now calls it a 'live events destination' with a heavy emphasis on virtual concerts.Prior to its launch, Linden Lab showed me an Egyptian tomb scene in Sansar.

Come in here and do something,'' Altberg said.So why did Linden Lab sell the platform? In short, the company wanted to be profitable and Sansar wasn't making enough money. 'It doesn't become all about us just saying, 'Hey, you there on the motorcycle. They wanted to use the platform, and performers had the potential to bring many new users - more than Linden Lab could possibly attract with traditional advertising - through its virtual doors. 'Meet your friends, buy merch, take selfies, and dance til you drop!' Other experiences are still available, but they don't appear to be the main selling point anymore.According to Altberg, the shift was in response to the interest it had received from musicians, record labels and event organizers. 'See your favorite artists without traveling to their shows,' the site explains. The official website now calls it a ' live events destination' with a heavy emphasis on virtual concerts.

Altberg describes the company as a 'really scrappy investor type of player' who wants a challenge and is prepared to let the Sansar team drive its own agenda. In the end, it settled on Wookey Project Corp., a little-known startup that wants to create 'a new generation of online AR/VR experiences,' according to a Linden Lab press release. It considered 'a bunch of different paths,' according to Altberg, which included some larger owners. 'I'm super stoked that we're able to find a way for them to continue the journey,' he explained.First, though, the company needed to find a buyer. It's fantastic technology, but it's still quite a way of runway become a cash-positive.'Altberg said it was ultimately a 'strategic decision' to sell Sansar and give the development team a chance to branch out on their own.

The platform uses Tilia, a system by Linden Lab that allows users to turn their custom asset sales into real-world cash. Mixing those two within one small studio like Linden Lab was kind of tricky, so it was easier to have them go separate.'The team behind Second Life hasn't given up on Sansar entirely, though. Whereas Sansar is a VC, more long term, need-more-investment-type-of-thing. ' Second Life is an older, very established cash machine that works really well, and right now, we're seeing some tremendous growth happening as we speak.

Right now, everyone is staying at home to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus pandemic. Linden Lab is also working on a number of user-facing improvements, such as the ability to customise worlds and 'trade environments in ways they haven't been able to do before.''As markets lock down, we see numbers in those markets go up.'It's a strange but exciting time for the social platform, which was first released in June 2003. 'Instead of having to nurture and build and maintain our own infrastructure for a lot of things, we're going to be able to rely on someone else doing it for us,' Altberg explained. The company is currently in the middle of moving its cloud-based infrastructure to a third-party platform. Linden Lab, meanwhile, is going to double down on Second Life. 'The first third party that's live and running is Sansar.'Sansar will continue to focus on large-scale entertainment events, according to Altberg.

As markets lock down , we see numbers in those markets go up.' According to Altberg, Sansar has experienced a similar bump in interest: 'The demand we saw prior to the separation was really fascinating.'From afar, Second Life and Sansar might seem like direct competitors. 'We can see the difference too by markets. According to Altberg, Second Life usage is also spiking from people who want to feel closer to their friends, family, students and co-workers.'We're seeing surges of new registrations,' he said. Enterprise-focused tools like Slack, Zoom and Microsoft Teams have clearly benefited from this sudden digital shift.

Both platforms have a rare opportunity, after all, to convert new and returning users into people that want to stick around long after the coronavirus pandemic has stabilized. Isn't really directly competitive in that sense.'Instead, the two teams will be cheering each other on. 'They have an opportunity to target, I think, a different kind of use case and a different type of customer than Second Life,' Altberg said. Second Life also has no plans to support VR headsets anytime soon. Sansar, meanwhile, is laser-focused on the music industry right now and creating the best experience for performers and fans alike.

'And I'm rooting for them.

Second Life Oculus Rift Viewer