2003 · Adventure · Role-playing

There (virtual world)

There is a 3D online virtual world created by Will Harvey and Jeffrey Ventrella. There Inc. was founded in the spring of 1998. Closed beta began in July 2001, with various stages of beta following, and ending with an October 2003 launch date.

Released: 9 January 2003
Platforms: Windows macOS
Genres: Adventure Role-playing Simulation
Developers: —
Publishers: —
Modes: Multiplayer
Perspective: First person Third person Bird view / Isometric
Themes: Sandbox Open world
Country: United States

About

There is a 3D online virtual world developed and operated by Makena Technologies. The platform opened to the public in October 2003 after a two-year beta and counted more than one million registered members by 2009.

Designed for social play rather than combat, the world lets players create custom avatars, build and trade user-generated items, and participate in activities such as buggy races, paintball games, hoverboard challenges and player-hosted events. Land is offered as customizable zones and neighborhoods with an in-game rent system, and all transactions use the in-game currency, Therebucks (T$). Corporate partnerships have featured areas and content from companies like Coca-Cola, MTV, CosmoGIRL! and Paramount Pictures.

Keywords

action-adventure
user generated content
microtransaction

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Players create avatars with permanent names and genders and fully customizable appearance. Communication options include text chat, voice, emotes and avatar “body language.”

Makena released ThereIM, a stand-alone instant-messaging client, and ThereConnect, a Facebook plug-in that syndicated in-world events.

Development

There Inc. was founded in 1998; closed beta began in July 2001 and the world launched publicly in October 2003. Tom Melcher, formerly of CNET, was chief executive officer until 2003.

Lagging growth led to major layoffs in August 2004 and a split into two entities: Forterra Systems - targeting government simulation - and Makena Technologies for the consumer product.