MySpace Owners Confirm Another Comeback Attempt, Awaiting the Right Moment

The owners of MySpace have confirmed plans to revive the social network, though they have not disclosed a launch date or details about the new product. Tim and Chris Vanderhook, co-founders of Viant Technology, who bought the platform in 2011 and still own the brand, discussed the plans in the documentary "MySpace," directed by Tommy Avalone.

"We still own MySpace. We are stewards of the MySpace brand at this point, and we are going to relaunch MySpace. We're just waiting for the right time to do it," the brothers said in the film. "And if that one doesn't work, we'll do it again."

A comeback would place MySpace in a market vastly different from the one it left behind. Today's social media landscape is shaped by platforms built around recommendation algorithms, mobile video, creator tools, and targeted advertising. Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Reddit already compete for users and ad revenue.

To succeed, MySpace would need to give people a reason to join another social network while adapting to modern habits. That means fast mobile features, simple publishing tools, content discovery, and systems to keep users engaged. It would also need a way to generate revenue without the scale enjoyed by the largest platforms.

MySpace was founded in 2003 by Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe. By 2008, the site reached 115 million monthly visitors, becoming one of the world's most visited platforms. The network was known for customizable profiles featuring music, graphics, backgrounds, and code. Co-founder Tom Anderson was famously listed as the first friend for every new user.

However, Facebook quickly surpassed MySpace, and the company went through several ownership changes. The Vanderhook brothers later attempted to build what they called an entirely new MySpace, but the effort failed. "It just became an onslaught of losses," Tim Vanderhook said in the documentary. "We lost a little over $150 million," Chris Vanderhook added.

The timing of another relaunch could help or hurt the company. Major social platforms are facing legal and regulatory pressure, and some users are growing tired of feeds designed for endless scrolling. There is also growing interest in smaller communities and services with a more personal feel.

Kate Winick, a principal analyst at Forrester, said nostalgia is part of the appeal. "Excitement about MySpace's relaunch reflects nostalgia for a more analog time, when algorithms were less dominant in our lives," she noted.