RolePlayGateway™

With constant projections from social analysts describing how the future might pan out for us, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between the scaremongering and the downright utopian. However, as trends over the last twenty years have shown, computers are sure to play a huge part in our future. The online bingo industry is no different, and as our technological advancements take us on unchartered journeys it is logical to surmise that the journey ahead is an interesting one.

Perhaps the biggest story in recent times is the popularity of virtual worlds - places where people can log on and live another life. Perhaps most famous among these is the aptly named Second Life, which was established by Linden Lab in 2003 and attracted over 4 million users. After a backlash from the public in general and fans in particular, the virtual world began to lose popularity, but after a change of leadership in mid-2009 is once more looking to the future, and it is attracting a host of new opportunities.

Mark Roberts, a computer programmer from Crew, Cheshire, is developing his own bingo game to be used in Second Life.

“The beauty about Second Life is that players can be anything that they want to be, but so can institutions. If you want to have a bingo hall that operates by having an elephant pick the balls out of the tombola, you can.”

However, for those bingo players out there eager to get a glimpse of the game they are unlikely to just yet. “I’m not saying anyone reading this would steal my idea,” says Roberts, “I just want to keep my bingo cards close to my chest until they’re ready.”

One of the greatest possibilities inherent with virtual worlds is that of marketing. Second Life has already seen a host of companies sell virtual products in the game to maintain a market presence, from American Apparel to Fed Ex. With real revenue being withdrawn from the game to the tune of $300million, it is no surprise that bingo firms across the country are sitting up and taking note about Roberts’ new bingo development. With the online game already taking off to unprecedented levels of bingo players, there is no reason why a virtual game could not do the same.