Launched just this past July, Google's Lively was meant to be an experiment in social networking that would eventually change the landscape of both the way MMOs are made and how they're played.

Well, that changed course pretty quick.

On the Google blog today, they announced that Lively will shut down at the end of the year. Why? Well, as they put it, the bet didn't pay off.

Google has always been supportive of this kind of experimentation because we believe it's the best way to create groundbreaking products that make a difference to people's lives. But we've also always accepted that when you take these kinds of risks not every bet is going to pay off.

That's why, despite all the virtual high fives and creative rooms everyone has enjoyed in the last four and a half months, we've decided to shut Lively down at the end of the year.

Google will go back to doing more important, but boring things - like focusing on their ad business.

For more information, please visit the Official Google blog.