Beijing-based virtual worlds developer UOneNet has a new virtual world in the works called uWorld, planned for an early 2008 launch, with alpha testing to begin in December of this year. The company's founder Eric Ye, was a former software architect at IBM and has a Masters degree in engineering from the University of Southern California The company says uWorld users will be able to purchase virtual real estate, start businesses, create social circles and make and sell virtual items. These features would make it the second full-scale virtual world announced in China after HiPiHi, so it's assumed the two will be competitors.

There are already 3D navigable environments in the Chinese market, but UOneNet calls them mainly 3D storefronts for virtual items, planning to differentiate itself by a more holistic approach. It also says it's prioritizing stability by using its own proprietary UniG technology for its back end.

Like HiPiHi, uWorld will focus on the Chinese market and culture by highlighting in-game tutorials and content creation tools. UOneNet cited focus groups with Chinese users of Second Life, and found that those users were disinterested in the open world format, which left them wanting to know what they were supposed to do.

Explained Ye, "To adapt to Chinese Internet users in our product design, we put more into in-world tutorials and examples to guide users, also help them form social and economic circles. We give them a sense of achievement when they accomplish something. Chinese users are creative but many are not technology savvy.” uWorld is also being designed with a softer color palate, which it hopes is more in line with the taste of the Chinese culture.

Currently, UOneNet has 60 employees and is operating with a mixture of angel and venture funding.

[Via Redline China]