Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Study says 90% of virtual worlds don't last 18 months]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/study-says-90-of-virtual-worlds-dont-last-18-months/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/study-says-90-of-virtual-worlds-dont-last-18-months/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/study-says-90-of-virtual-worlds-dont-last-18-months/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A study released by Gartner, a large research firm based in Connecticut, claims that 90% of all "business forays into virtual worlds" fail within 18 months.

According to the study, most businesses focus too much on expensive and unnecessary technology such as powerful physics engines, and don't pay enough attention to the demands and interests of users actual or potential. This is not surprising to us; savvy MMO developers will talk your ear off about how multi-million dollar graphics are at best a red herring and at worst a harbinger of doom.

On the other hand, the study also said that by 2012, 70% of all organizations will be using virtual worlds, and that those endeavors will more successful because businesses will have learned exactly what to expect and will plan development accordingly.

[Via Worlds in Motion]

MassivelyStudy says 90% of virtual worlds don't last 18 months originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 May 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessdevelopmentfailuregartnergraphicsphysicspredictionpredictionsresearchstudytechnologyvirtual-worldsworlds-in-motionSat, 17 May 2008 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More thoughts for the future in Second Life and beyond]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/more-thoughts-for-the-future-in-second-life-and-beyond/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/more-thoughts-for-the-future-in-second-life-and-beyond/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/more-thoughts-for-the-future-in-second-life-and-beyond/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Crystal BallIt being the end of the year, people are prognosticating like mad. Analysts for Second Life and virtual worlds are no exception. This time it's Gartner again, but with a "future of education" slant. There is also a "future of virtual world economics" post, which highlights the future of education in virtual worlds, so next year will be the year of the virtual teacher. (With my teaching in Second Life hat on, I might argue it's the year of the Johnny-come-lately virtual teacher, there is a lot of education already happening in Second Life.)

In summary, the pieces on Virtual Worlds News suggest:
  1. Education will be big next year
  2. Second Life, World of Warcraft and Habbo Hotel (amongst others) will continue to grow
  3. The usage by children/tweens will be a big growth area
Challenges are:
  1. Ease of use and induction
  2. Spreading platforms that can access virtual worlds
  3. Interoperability
  4. Globalisation
Please, go read both articles and add your comments here or there!

MassivelyMore thoughts for the future in Second Life and beyond originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ChildrenEducationGartnerGlobalisationHabbo-HotelInteroperabilitySecond-LifeVirtual-Worlds-newsWorld-of-WarcraftFri, 28 Dec 2007 12:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Big business analysts looking more kindly on Second Life once again.]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/big-business-analysts-looking-more-kindly-on-second-life-once-ag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/big-business-analysts-looking-more-kindly-on-second-life-once-ag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/big-business-analysts-looking-more-kindly-on-second-life-once-ag/#commentsFiled under: , ,

moneyIt seems like only yesterday, but I guess it was about 6 months ago, that a lot of big business analysts were saying, in rather more business like language, "OMG what's all the fuss about Second Life?" This isn't from the point of view of the casual player, this was stories such as "a responsible IT manager should block access to Second Life because it is a risk to your data security" and "No one can make a decent return on investment in Second Life."

Over the last few days I've started to see, directly or indirectly, articles changing this advice:
  1. Erica Driver asks does it matter if Second Life appears empty in places for the Forrester Information and Knowledge Management blog;
  2. Peter Abrahams, for IT Director, suggests that Second Life is now too important not to be accessible - and whilst he concentrates on disabled accesshe has the underlying assumption that businesses are increasingly using Second Life productively and this will continue to increase in importance;
  3. Pham Neutra in his Otherland Blog points out an article from Gartner saying that by 2010, 20% of tier 1 global retailers will have a marketing presence in virtual worlds and online games. That's in 2 years time remember!
We are starting to see more and more people working out how to use Second Life - and as Pham comments in his blog, they are starting to learn how to define useful metrics for success in this brave new world.

MassivelyBig business analysts looking more kindly on Second Life once again. originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disabled-accessEmptyErica-DriverForesterGartnerIT-directormarketing-presenceOtherland-groupPeter-AbrahamsPham-NeutraSecond-LifeSecond-Life-accessibilityTier-1-global-retailerWed, 12 Dec 2007 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Financial bigwig says virtual worlds leading digital currency charge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/financial-bigwig-says-virtual-worlds-leading-digital-currency-ch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/financial-bigwig-says-virtual-worlds-leading-digital-currency-ch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/financial-bigwig-says-virtual-worlds-leading-digital-currency-ch/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Andy Kyte, vice president of Gartner, Inc., told Gartner Symposium attendees last week that virtual worlds such as Second Life are "contributing to the drive to use electronic currencies." This comes from a ZDNet report on Kyte's talk about the potential of electronic currencies to reduce overhead costs for pretty much every one. He said Singapore has already introduced an electronic currency and that the rest of the world is watching what happens there.

He also said, though, that online currencies like Second Life's Linden Dollar carry with them security issues that create "phenomenal opportunities for money laundering and tax evasion." Those issues would have to be resolved before online currencies similar to the L$ or EVE Online's ISK can be used with confidence in the real world.

[Via Worlds in Motion]

MassivelyFinancial bigwig says virtual worlds leading digital currency charge originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>currencydigital-currencyeconomicseconomyeve-onlinefinancegartnergartner-symposiumisklinden-dollarlindenssecond-lifesingaporeworlds-in-motionzdnetTue, 27 Nov 2007 07:00:00 EST