Doppelganger

About Doppelganger

Doppelganger, founded in 2004 by James Lee and Andrew Littlefield, was a San Francisco-based firm that developed 3D virtual world solutions for social entertainment. The company, which also operated under the name Evil Twin Studios, specialized in creating targeted virtual environments where users could engage in self-expression, communication, and rich media programming.

The firm secured significant financial backing, raising between $16 million and $25.7 million in capital across three funding rounds. A key funding event was its Series B round on August 1, 2007, which brought in $11 million from investors including DFJ, Trident Capital, Draper Richards, and Greycroft. This capital fueled the development and expansion of its virtual platforms.

Doppelganger's primary product evolved into a music-focused virtual world known as vSide, which was previously called The Lounge. Within vSide, users could create and customize avatars, socialize with others, listen to music, decorate private spaces, and attend virtual parties and events. The platform aimed to replicate the social experience of music, even providing opportunities for virtual interactions with artists. Another notable project was the development of the "Virtual Lower East Side" (vLES) in partnership with MTV, designed for music discovery within a virtual cityscape modeled after New York's indie club scene. The business model focused on providing a free-to-use platform, likely monetizing through brand sponsorships and in-world affiliate music sales. In July 2009, the assets of Doppelganger were acquired by ExitReality (later known as Hip Digital Media), marking the conclusion of its operations as an independent entity.