Virtual World users to get their own dedicated search engine

The Meta-Mole, created by the Centre for Design in the Digital Economy (D-LAB) based within the University’s Institute of Digital Innovation, will ultimately be a dedicated searchable online resource for the 350 plus virtual worlds currently existing on the Internet.

Philip McClenaghan, Deputy Director of D-LAB explains: “We were analysing virtual world platforms and realised that there doesn’t appear to be a comprehensive service offering to list and compare key data for major 2D and 3D environments. This surprised us considering the current popularity of virtual worlds. We intend to fill the gap with the Meta-Mole.”

The Meta-Mole will help both new and experienced users looking for a virtual world environment as well as platform developers who want to gauge competition.

“The Meta-Mole seeks to increase the uptake and success rates of Virtual World ventures by providing a searchable directory of available platforms, easily definable according to the need of the user”, says Dan Riley, a Metaverse Architect at D-LAB.

All data contained within the Meta-Mole is provided by the platform developers themselves along with high quality official images and videos. The Meta-Mole allows for the sharing and comparing of information and provides access to the latest core, technical and specialist features on current virtual worlds, as well as those in development.