Could Google Become a Game Publisher?

Forbes is running a story examining the possibility of Google becoming a games publisher. The launch of their Google Lively 3D world and the acquisition of in-game advertiser AdScape has analysts speculating on whether Google will use its enormous reach to tap into the lucrative games market. "Google also has several existing technologies that could be used to create games. Imagine a flight simulator that uses Google Earth as a backdrop or tracking a spy in a major city via Google Maps' street view. While there would still be significant work required to create a game using these tools, the underlying technology is already fundamentally finished."

Lively is pretty sleepy

[argent]

When Lively started up almost any search would have several "full" rooms at the top of the results. There were multiple overflow rooms for every possible topic. Now, even on the weekend, there's rarely more than half a dozen people in any of the rooms.

The google provided content has not changed in the past two months.

There have been no API or builder tools released.

It's going to need more than a Doubleshot to make it lively again.

Next up gSteam!

[faloi]

I could see Google doing some sort of distribution mechanism like Steam, only having bucketloads more cash to throw around to get publishers to adopt to them as a delivery mechanism.

Snow Crash

[darkvizier]

I wouldn't say games, per se. But I definitely see google having interest in creating an online simulated world, ala Second Life, or more ambitiously, Snow Crash. If they are the ones to make something like that a reality, they could see immense business growth and climb far above any 'competition'.