Steam is a very well known digital distribution platform for software, specifically for games.
I’ve been a gamer since Pong so I also have a steam account and I rather like it.
It allows me to easily and quickly buy new games from the comfort of my chaise lounge.
And there are also regularly sales going on so you can get a game with a nice discount.
From now on Sansar, Linden Lab’s second virtual online world, can be downloaded through Steam.
This is both wonderful and risky.
The wonderful part is that it has the possibility of reaching the over 150 MILLION users of Steam including many who actually own head sets or at the very least are more likely to own pretty good computers and decent internet connections.
On top of that these people are the target group that are willing to try out these new things.
Steam also makes suggestions based on other games and software you’ve tried, so people who are into virtual worlds, chat, etc, may get Sansar as a suggestion.
The risky side is that Steam users get a chance to recommend Sansar or not… and they also leave public reviews that can be rather brutal.
For instance, check out Blocksworld, also created by Linden Lab and available through Steam since september last year.
The reviews have been mixed.
So far nobody has left a review, then again it has only been available through Steam for a short while.
But keep an eye out for them, or of course, leave your own!
Sansar is described as;
ABOUT THIS GAME
Welcome to Sansar – the best place to hang out with friends, play games, and stay connected with your favorite communities!
Host and attend virtual events: concerts, watch parties, meet-and-greets, and more. Create and share virtual spaces with your friends, and explore the thousands of experiences our users have already created. Cheer for your favorite players and teams WHILE playing any number of fun virtual mini-games: cornhole, shuffleboard, pong, bowling, and more. Shop for new items and sell what you create on the Sansar Store.
Dive in today and be a part of shaping the Sansar experience. We’re growing all the time, and we can’t wait to see what you build and hear what you think.
Several years ago Second Life was going to be available through Steam but that didn’t happen.
I never found out why that fell through.
On the Steam page for Sansar you see a video, several pictures, a feature list, etc.
FEATURE LIST
- Connect with the communities you love, wherever they are in the world.
- Join friends for live events – virtual meet-ups, game nights, and so much more!
- Explore thousands of virtual experiences, and create some of your own while you’re at it.
- Shop for virtual merch on the Sansar Store!
- Express yourself with a custom avatar. Be the pirate, astronaut, or dancing chicken you always dreamed of.
- Full head and hand tracking mean your avatars move and talk in VR just like you do!
- Host events for your fans and followers – AMAs, meet-and-greets, watch parties, the sky’s the limit.
One thing I did notice that is clearly a mistake that LL better fix asap is that it mentions that it requires a virtual reality headset.
The video looks ok, I think one of the things Sansar has going for it is that it looks better than any other virtual world that headset users can use.
The video and the pictures are all a little too hip for my taste.
What I love about Second Life are the amazing landscapes, the visually stunning locations.
I would have liked to see something like that here, not just groups of people in flashy locations having fun.
I want peace and quiet, I guess that’s because I’m bitter and old.
Anyway, download it, give it a go, leave a review and make sure to check in now and then to see how other people review Sansar.
Jo Yardley's Second Life 