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Google Shutting Down Lively

Rob Crossley's picture

By Rob Crossley

November 20, 2008

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Google has decided to put an end to its browser-based virtual community service Lively, effective from December 31.

The web search giant has explained on its official blog that Lively will be closed so that company’s resources can be better focused to its “core” search, ads and apps businesses.

Google says the decision to close Lively was difficult to make: “We launched Lively … because we wanted users to be able to interact with their friends and express themselves online in new ways. Google has always been supportive of this kind of experimentation because we believe it's the best way to create groundbreaking products that make a difference to people's lives. But we've also always accepted that when you take these kinds of risks not every bet is going to pay off.”

The company adds that its employees who are working on the project will move on to other teams.

Source: VentureBeat

TechRyze's picture
On November 25th TechRyze said:

This is the first I've heard of it.

I'll go and take a quick look, but I can't see this being my cup o' tea...

CS's picture
On November 24th CS said:

The Livelyzens (Lively users) are coming together to appeal to Google to keep Lively alive.
Lively is a great platform for interaction as well as creativity. It is easy to use, browser based, embeddable on webpages to bring a 3D experience right on your website. While Lively has been in beta and has limited capability in terms of the objects and avatars available, the Livelyzens have been able to come up with very creative ways to create art from what is available. All this in a "clean" 3D world thanks to Google's vigilance in getting rid of rooms with inappropriate content. More than anything, Lively has become a place to make friends for life – from all over the world with wonderful people.

Please visit our website http://livelyzens.com and participate in the Lively Machinima contest we are conducting to show the creative potential of Google Lively. Please also sign our online petition http://livelyzens.com/petition.aspx

We request netizens to support us in reviving a wonderful 3D world that is a kid friendly and a creative space for art and interaction amongst adults.

that badwofl's picture
On November 23rd that badwofl said:

to be honest, this is the first I have heard of Lively, now i kind of want to check it out. did google even promote it at all?

newskooltrooper's picture
On November 20th newskooltrooper said:

Yeah, but there was never any "hook" for Google Lively. It was just an isolated product out on an island that was lost in the dozens of other Google services. At least Home complements the PS3's play experience, giving people some sort of reason to use it.

Bleak Corner's picture
On November 20th Bleak Corner said:

The competition is closing down before Home even gets launched. Now that's something that comes across gloomy.