Raph Koster recently asked whether virtual worlds are mainstreaming. There's an article about online worlds in the New York Post (with the tacky headline "Unreality Bytes") -- does that answer the question?

According to the article, some entrepreneurs are suing a Queens man with IP counterfeiting in Second Life. Manifold have been the discussions about how much of an issue intellectual property rights will become in virtual worlds, and this is doubtless the first of many small fires that will have to be doused with increasing frequency.

The defendant in the suit, Thomas "Rase Kenzo" Simon, allegedly stole various designs from the online stores of the six plaintiffs -- furniture and sex plugins, mostly -- and sold them in Second Life. One has to wonder how the court judge will react when he's hearing a case brought by "Munchflower Zaius" and "Stroker Serpentine."

Silly names or not, it's Simon's reported reaction to the suit that raises eyebrows. "They can say whatever they want; it's only a video game," quotes the Post. "I didn't know you could sue anyone over it."

[Via New York Post]