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Google’s "Lively" Goes Live

Google has launched a beta of “Lively”, a “3D virtual world” that enables users to create customized avatars and interact with other users in real-time within the web-based environment. The site promises to help you “take expression to the next dimension.”

Remember the rush by brands to establish themselves in Second Life? I suspect they never reached a significant audience in part because most non-gamers just won’t invest the time it requires to really maneuver within SL.  And, SL, if you get really into it, can get pricey.

Lively is completely free, at least for now. You’re stuck with a limited number of ways you can customize your avatar and spruce up your ‘room,’ but it’s a worthwhile tradeoff given that it takes just one brief session to get up to speed.

Some observers, such as the Gaming Insider, have pointed out that there’s not a whole lot to do in Lively once you get your rooms set up which is true. That’s where there’s a huge opportunity for marketers to provide branded interactive experiences that users can enjoy individually and with friends.  In a sign of things to come, National Geographic is promoting its "LA Hard Hats" series, with 3D construction site for visitors to navigate and watch video promos of the show.

Virtual worlds offer opportunities for brands and users to co-create rich more ‘realistic’ experiences. Lively takes us another step in that direction.

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