Google Lively

Google Lively attempted to embed 3D social spaces directly into web pages, influencing early thinking about the metaverse as a layer of the web rather than a standalone platform. Though short‑lived, it pushed forward the concept of lightweight, embeddable virtual rooms. Its failure also became a cautionary tale about corporate attempts to force social worlds without community roots. Lively’s ideas resurfaced years later in WebXR and spatial‑web initiatives.