In all, some 16 virtual worlds-related companies received funding in the second quarter-2008, including 3D social networking software developer Nurien and casual games/virtual world publisher PlayFish. Meanwhile, IAC gobbled up Girlsense.com, a fashion-oriented virtual world, and social network hi5 picked up Pixverse, a virtual platform development firm; though terms of both deals were not disclosed. --Tameka Kee