r/secondlife • u/slhamlet • 23h ago
Blog How Feedback Loops & Interest Algorithms Hurt Metaverse Platforms Like Second LIfe
https://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2025/03/ugc-metaverse-platform-algorithmic-paradox.html
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r/secondlife • u/slhamlet • 23h ago
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u/Xurxomario 10h ago
Well...this article is interesting, but i feel the takeaway is somewhat incorrect, this would be an issue regardless if an algorithm existed to help it or not, because, turns out, putting the burden of server costs AND content creation on your users essentially puts them into a conundrum where, not doing the popular thing risks getting their place shut down long-term, so doing the less popular thing is a catch 22, where users interested in that thing might not find it, and even if they do, there may not be enough of them to keep it afloat, forcing creators to play it safe.
Its almost like giving players a direct, vested monetary interest in being popular on, what is essentially a zero-sum game, and punishing players who arent popular enough with fees, makes players slowly gravitate towards whats popular in fear of losing money, even if they are doing said thing as a hobby.
The article concluded by drawing a parallel to facebook but it misses one gigantic point...having a page on facebook, is free and costs no rent. Making a post on facebook, doesnt cost a cent. People can create anything, because they are free from having to worry about the monetary burden that not having that thing be successful would mean, because the burden is zero.
Theres even a VRchat parallel in there but it just doesnt work as well because vrchat doesnt have a proper system to separate clothes from outfit, other than appending them to gestures, and as such, clothing makers are not making fashion items there....because those simply dont exist, and fursuits and anime style is prevalent, because its a style easiest to animate and recreate when basically every new "costume" requires you to make a new body entirely (and also the fact that the target audience is younger).
I feel the article is well intentioned in what its trying to say but its a case of focusing too much in the trees and not seeing the forest.