Why we’re still building with Prim in the mesh-based metaverse – Hypergrid Business

In the late 1990s and early 2010s, virtual worlds were vibrant social spaces where people came together to build, celebrate, and create online communities. Platforms like Second Life and several Open Sim-based grids including InWorldz, Kitely, and OSG.

But over time, participation in many of these worlds has declined dramatically. For people like me who have built businesses and social networks, attrition is not just a statistic. This is a personal experience.

Building a business in the virtual world

Within this digital environment, users can create and sell virtual goods.

This is my own store, Festive Occasions, specializing in items designed for celebrations, including balloons, gifts, birthday cakes, party decorations and other festive items. These products were used by residents to decorate their homes, host events, and give personalized gifts to friends.

Over the years that InWorldz has been active, our store has had a steady stream of customers.

We also had many regular customers requesting custom items for special occasions. Customers often requested unique gifts such as personalized birthday cards, balloons with their names, and even musical snow globes.

These purchases were not just decorative items. It was part of meaningful social interaction. Because the gifts were tailored to the recipient, customers often explained who the gift was for. Sometimes I am asked to create decorations for an entire party or event.

As a result, my work becomes woven into the celebrations and social lives of people I may never meet in the physical world. Being a creator in this environment meant feeling connected to the shared experiences of the community.

a sudden turning point

The closure of InWorldz was a turning point.

When that grid shut down in 2018, a large and active community disappeared almost overnight. Other OpenSim grids continued to function but did not fully return to the same level of activity. Another change has also affected virtual commerce. Many users have gradually learned to create their own objects.

As construction tools became more familiar, residents increasingly made their own decorations and gifts rather than purchasing items from creators. The combination of fewer users and more DIY creations has reduced demand for virtual products.

The introduction of mesh objects also created an obstacle in that it was difficult to learn the Blender program. The creation of mesh objects has reduced the desire to purchase objects made of prim.

So people who used Prim to create saw a huge drop in product sales.

I still enjoy using Prim to create products that celebrate important moments in people’s lives and bring smiles to their virtual and real faces.

Watching a Population Disappear

The decline in user activity is visible in a simple but clear way. That is, the number of people logged in at a specific time.

A few years ago, it was common to log into a grid and see hundreds of users online. The area was active, there were visitors to the store, and events were frequent.

Today’s experience may be very different. Some OpenSim grids may have fewer than 20 or no users online at any given moment.

Even in Second Life, which still maintains the largest and most active user base among closed virtual worlds, there are signs that overall participation is lower than before. You can check the number of logged in users on the main login page.

The human side of digital decline

For those who have spent years in this environment, decline is more than a technological trend.

Once active, logging into the grid and finding empty space can feel oddly quiet, even unnerving. The shops are still there, the scenery is still there, the objects people created remain in place, but the people who brought that world to life are often missing.

For creators and longtime residents, that absence can be emotional. Many friendships were formed in these spaces, and social gatherings such as parties, celebrations, and casual conversation were once part of everyday virtual life.

Watching these communities disappear can feel a sense of loss for a platform that was once engaging, creative, and socially vibrant.

Changing digital environment

The decline of traditional virtual worlds reflects broader changes in the online ecosystem. Now social media platforms, multiplayer games, and mobile-based digital communities are competing for the same attention that older virtual worlds once captured.

As technology and online culture evolve, the large open worlds of the early Metaverse era become more niche environments. But for those who experienced it in its heyday, these worlds remain memorable examples of what online communities can become when creativity, social interaction, and user-generated content come together.

The virtual world may be quieter today, but the communities that once filled it have left a lasting impression.

For residents, those memories are still as vivid as the world itself. The same goes for creators like me.

new beginning

For some of us, the story of virtual worlds is not over yet. I still run a small shop on the Utopia Skye grid, which has become a quiet home for my work.

Those grids are no longer connected via hypergrid, but they recently opened up shop on Kitely Market, which distributes products to hundreds of OpenSim grids.

I’m still in the process of uploading my creations and rebuilding my collection piece by piece. It takes time, but the effort feels worth it. Even though the crowds may be smaller than they used to be, I still believe in the OpenSim community and the little moments of happiness that these virtual creations can bring.

The virtual world may be quieter now, but the spirit of this community is still alive and well as we continue to build, create, and share.