It seems one of the major land businesses in Second Life is about to change hands. A comment posted on the SLU forums quotes the following for a notecard apparently circulated to some Azure residents:
We’ve got some fairly big news for the residents of the Azure Islands, as of March 16th, the Azure Islands will be transferring from us, over to a new management team run by Metaverse Services Limited.
If accurate, this is newsworthy on a number of counts. For a start, “Metaverse Services Limited” appears to be the holding company for Anshe Chung (Ailin Graef) of Dreamland fame, Time magazine celebrity and flying penises notoriety. If Azure is going under Anshe’s banner, then it means that from tomorrow, MSL control a huge swathe of estates and land across Second Life and are potentially in even more of a position of power where matters of policy and behind-closed-doors discussions with LL on land benefits, etc., are concerned.
Secondly, it begs the question as to what is happening to the land business overall in Second Life. Adam Zaius (Adam Frisby), primary owner of Azure island has been staunchly involved in SL almost from the beginning – something that has earned him a reputation as being a “pillar” of the so-called Feted Inner Core (FIC) and the devil incarnate by some, whilst simultaneously viewed upon as a fair and committed land owner, businessman and pioneer to others (notably his residents). Whichever side of the coin one happens to view when looking at Mr. Zaius – it cannot be denied he has built a considerable business enterprise within SL – one that goes beyond Azure itself; and has given a tremendous amount to the platform as well.
That he is now apparently selling-off / transferring / pretty much bailing on the SL land business – and taking into account his growing interest in / commitment to the OpenSim environment, which may be playing a part in this decision – tends to suggest that the entire land business, which has for so long underpinned SL as a going concern, is in far worse state than even the most negative of speculations around it have suggested. Even with his preoccupation with OSGrid development, it is hard to see Mr. Zaius abandoning what must be a healthy revenue stream simply for the hell of it. If he really is a “pillar of the FIC”, does he know something other’s are not privy to? Again, Zaius is not alone in running Azure…What of his partner in the venture?
Of course, this all could be grist for the rumour-mill – but I’ll be quite curious as to what emerges tomorrow.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 