Online virtual worlds where players can meet and interact with each other are a dime a dozen these days, but back in the mid 2000s, it was rare to find one that actually provided what it offered due to the limitations in technology.
vSide was one of those games that managed to deliver on its promises, building a 3D virtual world wherein players could communicate and interact via a range of options, such as virtual boutique shopping, social networking, and even celebrity entertainment.
But is vSide still alive today?
In this article, we are going to be looking at vSide in more detail, including the history of the game and whether it is still active.
Let’s get started.
What Is vSide?
vSide was a 3D virtual world platform that allowed users to create and customize their personal avatars, explore various virtual environments, socialize with other users, express themselves through custom clothing and home decor and participate in games and activities.
Though originally developed by Doppelganger, Australian based developers ExitReality acquired vSide in 2009.
In an interview with EngageDigital, ExitReality CEO and Founder Danny Stefanic promised current users that they had no plans to make any major changes to be game.
The platform offered a variety of social experiences, including virtual fashion shows, music concerts, dance parties, and more.
Users could also interact with each other by chatting, sending virtual gifts, using gestures and joining virtual clubs.
The target audience for vSide was teenagers, with one of the main goals of the game being to offer teens a place to hang out with their friends online in real-time, whilst also giving them the chance to express themselves via online personal spaces, also called “apartments.”
The Main Worlds Of vSide
There were three major worlds in vSide- also called “districts” or “cities”- which would be monitored by vSide mods (moderators).
The worlds could not be directly customized by users, unlike the apartments. Each world had a different theme, with each theme having a different look and style.
Gateway: Gateway was the main hub of the virtual world and served as the entry point for users. It was the first thing that users saw when they logged in and provided access to the three main virtual worlds within the platform.
LaGenoaAires: Introduced in the vSide Beta 1, LaGenoaAires had a natural color scheme and was inspired by both Genoa in Italy and Buenos Aires in Argentina, hence the name that combines the two city names. LaGenoaAires featured the first store that only had clothes designed by users of the game, which was called vSide Houses of Designs.
NewVenezia: This was the first city that was ever built within vSide, previously called San Francisco. NewVenezia was best known for its music lounge Interscope Lounge, which was previously known as PCD Lounge.
RaiJuku: Based around Japanese and anime themes, RaiJuku featured urban planning and architecture that was inspired by Shinjuku and Harajuku in Tokyo. It featured some particularly popular games and entertainment, such as the vSide Halloween Maze and the “Sumo” game.
Personal Spaces In vSide
Personal spaces in vSide were also known as “apartments” and they could be created and customized to the user’s wishes.
These apartments could be decorated with various virtual furniture, accessories, and decor items, which could be purchased with virtual currency or earned through various in-game activities.
The apartments also served as a personal hub for users to hang out with friends, listen to music, play games, and participate in other social activities (see also “30 Best Games To Play On Facebook“).
Celebrities In vSide
Some celebrities made appearances in vSide due to the platform aiming to create a social and entertainment experience for its users, with the incorporation of celebrities being one way to achieve this goal.
Celebrity appearances in vSide provided users with unique experiences and opportunities to interact with their favorite stars in a virtual setting.
The celebrities involved included musical artists as well as media personalities and television casts.
Some of the celebs who visited vSide included:
The Pussycat Dolls
Tyra Banks
The All-American Rejects
DJ AM
Maroon 5
As well as celebrity appearances, there were well known brands that also had virtual brands set up in the vSide world, such as Kitson and Rocawear.
What Happened to vSide?
Despite initial excitement and buzz, vSide failed to gain significant traction among users and was unable to compete with other more popular virtual worlds and social networking platforms as the years went on and technology grew exponentially.
Though problems initially began to arise in 2012 and 2013, vSide appears to have been entirely discontinued as of 2021.
The closure of vSide was part of a larger trend in the decline of social virtual worlds, as users shifted towards more advanced interactive forms of online entertainment.
Virtual worlds like vSide were seen as limited and outdated and were unable to keep up with the rapidly evolving landscape of online gaming and social networking.
Despite its short lifespan, vSide remains an interesting case study of the challenges and limitations of early virtual worlds and social networking platforms.
Final Thoughts
The discontinuation of vSide marked the end of an era in virtual worlds, with the closure highlighting the challenges and limitations of the earliest virtual worlds and social networking platforms.
In hindsight, vSide can be seen as a precursor to more advanced and successful virtual worlds and social networking platforms that have since emerged.
Its shutdown suggests a natural evolution in the development of online gaming and social networking, as users continue to seek out more immersive and interactive experiences.
Overall, the shutdown of vSide serves as a reminder of the fast-paced and rapidly evolving nature of technology, and the importance of staying ahead of the curve in order to remain relevant and competitive in the online world.
Hi, I’m Matt Johnson, and I work as a Digital Marketer. I started out as a PR assistant for a publishing company, and I quickly learned how important digital platforms are for marketing in the modern world.
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