The developer behind virtual world Second Life has apparently been “entertaining offers” by Microsoft for a buyout, says a source close to the company. Microsoft could purchase Linden Labs sometime later this week, if the source's information proves accurate.
TechEye reports that a source close to Linden Labs tweeted the rumor. “A little birdie told me that Microsoft may have silently offered to buy Linden Lab this week,” it stated. The leak apparently came from inside the company, claiming that Linden has been “entertaining offers and Microsoft has stepped up with a bid.”
With Linden Labs in Microsoft’s site, could we see a competitor to PlayStation Home from within Xbox Live? Perhaps it’s time that those avatars got to do something other than play Kinect Games. At the very least, it shows that Microsoft is serious about continuing to expand with the online and casual spaces. One analyst, writing for IndustryGamers, called Microsoft a "sleeping giant."
