Key Players of the 3D Web

This is my third and last opportunity to publish some findings about my research on the 3D web on this blog. Besides the question of potential killer application of the 3D web about which I wrote last time, my second focus were potential key players of the 3D web. Those players could play a major role in the near future by providing those applications or by providing resources for certain 3D web applications. This opinion of potential key players reflects the interviews with 45 opinion leaders, venture capitalists and researchers I met during my research as well as my own view.

The graph below visualises this probable scenario of potential key players of the 3D web. On the one hand, the graph shows 12 big companies which are considered as key players according to their present activities and their assumed strategy towards the 3D web. Google is important because of current applications like Google Earth, SketchUp or their 3D Warehouse and furthermore according to rumours about activities to build virtual worlds. IBM and Sun Microsystems are interested and investing in open source projects for the 3D web (e.g. IBM's “Open Sim” project or Sun's “Project Wonderland”). Microsoft with its mirror world “Microsoft Virtual Earth” and further companies like Nokia, Intel, Nvidia, HP and Autodesk are all considered as important future players. Finally, Sony with its upcoming “Sony Home” as well as further game / content companies like Nintendo and EA could be major players for the 3D web.

On the other hand the graph shows a box with a few very interesting small companies focusing on 3D web applications. The question at this stage is, if any of these small companies would have the potential to grow like a second Google as soon as the 3D web market is growing too (btw, Google wouldn't have been on this graph five years ago either..). So some people believe that a Linden Lab, a Forterra or a Multiverse could grow significantly in the near future, other people believe that big players like IBM or Sun will play a major role for the 3D web and further people believe that for instance, Google could acquire Linden Lab sooner or later to maintain a strong market position. Who will win? Well, I am sure that it will be an interesting time, I let you judge, however, here is my suggestion of the 3D web key players for the near future:


I hope I could give some insights, some inputs and maybe some food for thought with these three posts on Procedural's corporate blog. Should you be interested to read my summary of this research, it will be available to download on www.procedural.com. Thanks for your interest,

Cheers, Daniel