Raph Koster announced that Metaplace (http://www.metaplace.com) will be closing Jan. 1, 2010.
Here’s a set of links to the coverage.

Raph’s blog
http://www.raphkoster.com/2009/12/21/metaplace-com-closing/

Raph on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/notes/raph-koster/metaplacecom-closing/

Virtual Worlds News
http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2009/12/metaplace-shuttered.html

Massively.com
http://www.massively.com/2009/12/21/metaplace-announces-january-1st-shutdown/
http://www.massively.com/2009/12/22/marketplace-traction-with-the-ugc-model-and-the-closure-of-metap/

Dusan Writer
http://dusanwriter.com/index.php/2009/12/22/the-emphemeral-build-metaplace-closing/

Gamasutra
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26600/Metaplace_To_Close_Virtual_World_Platform.php

Venture Beat
http://games.venturebeat.com/2009/12/21/metaplace-to-shut-down-its-site-for-thousands-of-virtual-worlds/

Metaverse Tribune
http://metaversetribune.com/2009/12/22/virtual-worlds-farewell-to-metaplace/

Gwyneth Llewelyn
http://gwynethllewelyn.net/2009/12/22/metaplaces-out-of-business-will-blue-mars-outlast-it/

Hypergrid Business

http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2009/12/metaplace-closing-a-warning-for-virtual-worlds-users/

The Flogging Will Continue
http://thefloggingwillcontinue.com/?p=60

Doublecluepon Software
http://blog.doublecluepon.com/2009/12/22/the-sadness-that-is-metaplace/

CNet
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10420089-52.html

Botgirl
http://botgirl.blogspot.com/2009/12/are-forterra-and-metaplace-just-first.html