VANCOUVER - Utherverse Inc. announced Thursday that its month-old site Virtual Vancouver will feature live rock concerts streamed into the virtual world's amphitheater for up to 500,000 users.
"We have great response from the community for the Virtual Vancouver," Director of Marketing Zak Zarry said. "One of the largest and most strong parts of our community is the events that occur. Members throw their own parties, weddings, raves and other things. Now, users will be able to experience a live rock concert, but as a video game.
"We are also partnering with nightclubs in Vancouver, so that a user will be able to see their favorite DJ streamed live into their virtual world. We will also be launching new music labels soon, giving real-life artists and hopeful musicians a shot at fame."
Utherverse also announced the release of its virtual currency, the "Ray." Users can earn Rays and spend them on goods and services or sell them to other users or investors.
"Unlike other virtual currencies, users don't spend money buying Rays from us," CEO Brian Shuster said. "Rather, they get Rays just for playing around on our social network or for making friends in our virtual world."
Since the Ray was introduced in early August, Utherverse users reportedly have conducted more than 23.5 million transactions with a total value of about $3,055,000.
"Our commerce has exploded, and our community has become much wealthier," Shuster said. "Since the virtual currency was introduced, our user growth has increased fivefold to about 10,000 new users per day."
Utherverse also has opened an online currency exchange that allows users to buy and sell Rays to each other for real money. Although the exchange rate fluctuates, the value of 100 Rays has been about $11 in recent transactions.
Shuster founded Utherverse in 2002 with a goal of creating massive multiplayer online communities. The software, which was released in pre-beta last year, is set to be officially released at the end of this year.
Utherverse began beta testing of its Red Light Center software earlier this month. The company is giving each current member between 35 and 500 Rays as a bonus for taking part in the virtual world during testing. The total value of these gifts is expected to exceed $4,250,000 at the current exchange rate.
Utherverse currently has more than 900,000 users, many of whom favor Red Light Center, an adults-only website that focuses on sex, drugs and other risque behavior. This site allows users to create their own avatars, or virtual representations of themselves, and explore an online landscape that is populated with other avatars, nightclubs, casinos, stores and other forms of entertainment and commerce, all of which are owned and operated by third parties. Zarry said Red Light Center has been a success since its launch a year ago.
Members can travel between Red Light Center and Virtual Vancouver, Utherverse's second virtual world, through transport pods.
