The Death of Google+ Is Tearing Its Die Hard Communities Apart
Punch line or not, Google+ provided a much-needed outlet for some
Few were shocked when Google announced that it was pulling the plug on Google+ this October. The future it promised — a viable alternative to Facebook, albeit one owned by another tech giant — never quite materialized, hobbled by turnover within the team at Google as well as muddled design directives from both users and developers.
At the time of its launch, Google+ might’ve had a handful of vital features that Facebook lacked, including superior photo integration. But as time has shown, users will stick to the platform their friends spend time on. The moribund social network is now reminiscent of a hollowed-out ghost town, where everyone has a slice of property, but nobody actually visits.
“Nothing has done nearly so much as Google+ to kill trust in Google itself.”
Still, Google+ isn’t without its long-term devotees, who now find themselves searching for a new home. Hardcore fans of games like Shadow of the Demon Lord have built a dedicated community on Google+, as have “proxy” junkies who replace the official art on Magic: The Gathering cards, and any number of other niche groups. Smaller social…
