http://www.vles.com

Doppelganger  has been working with MTV on a pretty amazing virtual recreation of New York City’s Lower East Side, it’s now in alpha, go take a look. The VLES platform is a social network  where users create their own avatars (though that feature is not totally live yet), blog and hang out, virtually, of course. There's a BIG emphasis on music; the platform is setup as a place for bands to establish a presence, not just a profile page. There's an underlying game challenge that pits bands against each other, with players acting as promoters, working to get audience attention. The payoff? Virtual VLE$ currency and the chance to play a show at an actual club, this is in real life, in the fabulously happening Lower East Side. The venues, like Cake Shop and Arlene's Grocery, get a chance to promote themselves too, with virtual representations of their “space” they can host events online that may (or may not) be happening concurrently in real time (with real bands).

Of course, retailers are getting in on the action – there's a virtual American Apparel store, surely others will be popping up soon. I'm wondering if all the fancy restaurants that are opening up like spring flowers all over the LES will eventually get in on the act. Virtual visit to Stanton Social, anyone?

Seen and Heard:

Famed game designer Raph Koster blogged about VLES last night and  concluded [of Viacom/MTV]:  “The way in which these guys are looking at virtual worlds simply isn't the same way anyone else is. “

And it wouldn’t be New York if someone didn’t have a few snide remarks to add about virtual anything; the Gothamist has it nailed.