The upcoming 2.0 release of BigWorld's Technology suite will include web capability alongside its client/server game tech and world-building tools, the company announced today.

BigWorld says its new "Web Content Anywhere" capability lets developers implement "browser-like" functionality including Flash, Javascript/CSS or HTML on any 2D or 3D surface in-game.

The company says licensees will also be able to integrate social networking service and instant messages into their games to complement BigWorld Technology's existing mobile functionality.

"The overlap between games and virtual worlds and social networks is not looming – it’s been here for some time," says BigWorld VP Gavin Longhurst.

"We have looked at pioneering efforts in the space – including those from our own customer base with virtual worlds like Metaversum’s ‘Twinity’ built on our core technology, and see the possibilities and flexibility to enable greater social connectivity and content injections into future games and virtual worlds."

[The preceding article by Leigh Alexander also appeared on Worlds in Motion sister site Gamasutra.]