3pointD.com

MindArk, makers of the virtual world Entropia Universe, will build a virtual world for the Cyber Recreation Development Corporation, which is backed by the Beijing Municipal People’s Government, that will support up to 7 million users connected at the same time, according to a press release. The press release isn’t entirely clear on whether the 7 million concurrency figure is in a single shard, or copy of the virtual world (as in Second Life), or across many shards (as in World of Warcraft). A clue: “The cooperation agreement with China will generate hundreds of new planets and open up space for travel between the planets.”

It does sound like Entropia will be opened up to other companies and governments who want to build their own “planets” there: “The technology introduced with this project will enable other companies within media, film, music and gaming industries, or other content providers, to acquire their own planet within Entropia Universe. In turn, this will provide a diverse, entertaining and interesting three-dimensional virtual universe of vast proportions for participants to explore. A number of the world’s largest corporations within the aforementioned business sectors are currently in negotiations to purchase their own planet within Entropia Universe.” (more…)