There are online games that have been live for years, even though hardly any players wander onto the servers anymore. One of these games has experienced a kind of third spring, thanks to a YouTuber.
What kind of game is it? Behind “There.com” is a virtual 3D world that resembles the much more well-known “Second Life,” but was actually released a few months earlier (January 9, 2003, versus June 23, 2003). It’s about creating an avatar, designing a cozy home, and hanging out or chatting with other players.
The possible activities in the game include, among other things, card games, racing, training pets, paintball, an amusement park, quiz shows, and hoverboarding. And of course, you can design your own clothes, vehicles, furniture, and buildings.
In March 2010, it looked like the end for “There.com.” The servers went offline. But on May 2, 2012, an unexpected comeback followed, with a subscription model and limited test accounts for interested players who just wanted to take a look. However, it seems that not too many players have tried the offer in the past years… but that has changed recently.
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Breaking News: YouTuber finds life in ghost world
What happened? The YouTuber globert has made it his mission for his new video project to get a premium membership for “There.com” and spend 30 days in this supposedly “dead game” to revive it and ultimately throw a huge in-game party.
Although globert has only released 9 videos so far on YouTube and has just over 200,000 subscribers, his related video has gone viral since its release. More than 7.5 million views, more than 356,000 thumbs up. But did he achieve his goal?
What did globert experience in There.com? After creating his avatar “globatron,” the YouTuber first had to find out if there were other players roaming in the virtual world. He visited the most popular places in the game… which consistently turned out to be empty ghost zones. The same was true for the player-inhabited neighborhoods.
On day 4, “globatron” finally met other players during a quiz show event, with whom he exchanged a few initial sentences via voice chat. However, the fun didn’t last too long. Since no comparable events were scheduled for the following days, globert found himself completely alone in this vast world – until day 10 when a bingo night was on the agenda.
You can watch the entire video by globert here:
There, the YouTuber met a player who has been playing “There.com” since 2008 and was delighted to show him around. She confirmed globert’s impression that players only log in for events now. Fewer than 100 players are said to be left who visit regularly.
In week 2, “globatron” participated again in the quiz show, where he met “Babs.” She owns the currently largest neighborhood in “There.com” and is the one who brings life back into the ghost world through her community events now and then. She proved this the very next day with a party that “globatron” was also allowed to attend.
There, the YouTuber met the most players of “There.com” he had encountered so far. They chatted and explored the game world together on dragons. It quickly became clear: globert would need “Babs'” help if he wanted to host a big party at the end of his 30 days.
However, the player explained that it would be a mammoth task. New players normally don’t wander onto the servers anymore. The core group is shrinking more and more. However, the remaining players were visibly happy to show globert around, show him the activities, and share nostalgic memories with him.
What about the party? Over time, the YouTuber realized that “There.com” is not a dead game at all. It still has a small but very fine community, with players who have built a second home there and found friends for life.
For globert, the daily visit to the virtual world also became a regular part of his day, and that for more than two months – which was not the plan at all. The party did take place, but not on day 31, rather much later. About 20 players showed up, and everyone seemed to have a good time.
“It was really something special for me to experience that”
How do viewers react to the video? It’s particularly nice that the game’s developer has spoken up under the video.
- discoveronlinenow writes on YouTube: “Hey! Will here, the developer. I want to thank you for showcasing such an old project of mine and bringing a part of the player community back for a while. It was really something special for me to see and experience that.”
But many other comments are also heartwarming.
- IcsulX explains on YouTube: “The video is over, and I just can’t click away. That was strangely touching. Shut up, I’m not crying, you’re crying.”
- StatusQuonald felt similarly (via YouTube): “That deeply moved me. I miss the days when the internet was just a bunch of people trying to make a real connection in virtual places.”
- With VirtualVikki, one of the players even spoke up on YouTube: “And we just got to know you, Glob. I hope you come back someday and visit us again. I’ve been there for 22 years, and it’s always nice to come home.”
Does the video have an impact on the game? The player count has noticeably grown due to globert’s viral video.
- On Reddit, Artie_Savage writes: “While the number of concurrently logged-in people is three times higher than last week, we are still a small community, not like before with thousands of simultaneous players in the virtual world. But it’s a great community.”
- MM-ly2mw writes on YouTube: “The man who hosts the quiz on Tuesdays has posted in his Facebook community that the number of seats is limited to 18 and that you have to come early to get a spot. He probably hasn’t had enough people for years to hold the quiz, but now it’s the opposite: There are too many people who want to participate, but he can’t accommodate them all.”
Globert’s video is like a time travel back to an internet era when there was no X, Instagram, or TikTok. Have you ever had similar experiences in an online game? Share it in the comments! This article is about one of Germany’s biggest YouTubers: From Let’s Plays in Minecraft to one of the biggest German Twitch streamers – The career of Gronkh
