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MMO Family: Kid-friendly MMO roundup, part 1

Karen Bryan — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Free-to-play, Casual, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Clone Wars Adventures, Super Hero Squad Online, Miscellaneous

With all of the buzz centered around "grown-up" MMO titles like Star Wars: The Old Republic and Guild Wars 2, it's easy for the kid-friendly games to get lost in the shuffle. There may not be as many kid titles on the horizon, but for the games that are currently out there, there's been an amazing amount of activity going on in these virtual worlds.

I decided to take a peek at some of my (and the kids') favorites, along with a few games that we've done first impressions on, to see what they've been up to lately. Since there are too many great kid-friendly MMOs out there to fit into one column, this will be the first of what will probably be many follow-up entries covering other games, so if you don't see your favorite family-friendly game here, fear not!

Continue reading MMO Family: Kid-friendly MMO roundup, part 1

MMO Family: Kid-friendly MMO roundup, part 1 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO Family: Virtual worlds for kids

Lisa Poisso — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Club Penguin, There, Habbo Hotel, Gaia Online, Barbie Girls, Kids, Moshi Monsters, MMO Family

MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family.

Nestling somewhere in between MMOs and social networking, virtual worlds are a virtual sandlot for millions of kids worldwide. Think avatar-based chat and mini-games alongside other kids of the same age range and interests, and you'll catch the appeal of these kid-friendly destinations. While a gaming parent might consider virtual worlds mere training wheels for games still to come, kid-friendly virtual worlds seem to fit the attention spans, chatty nature and niche-y interests of kids to a T.

The sheer variety of worlds appealing to children makes it easy for kids to find a spot where they'll want to hang out. As of early 2009, kids could choose from 112 virtual worlds designed for children and teens, according to Engage Digital Media, with more than 80 new worlds under development. The numbers of kids who've found a virtual home in these worlds rivals even the fat figures of MMO big dog World of Warcraft. Research firm eMarketer estimates that in the United States alone, 8 million kids hung out in virtual worlds regularly during 2008; that number is projected to swell to more than 15 million by 2013.

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MMO Family: Virtual worlds for kids originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX 2009: Massively interviews BioWare and LucasArts on SWTOR part 2

Kyle Horner — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, Massively Interviews, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Continue reading PAX 2009: Massively interviews BioWare and LucasArts on SWTOR part 2

PAX 2009: Massively interviews BioWare and LucasArts on SWTOR part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Trading Table comes to Webkinz

Michael Zenke — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Webkinz, Kids

The thousands of happy kids that care for their 'kinz online every day now have a new way of playing. Ten Ton Hamster has the word that Webkinz will now allow players to trade their virtual pets in an online trading room. It's much the same way that kids trade their real world plush. Players are allowed to trade with a given person only once per day, and the official site stresses that "the only trades allowed in Webkinz World are made in the Trading room!" An official notice went up reinforcing this concept, proving that RMT and player-to-player sales are a problem even in worlds aimed at the smallest of players.

A post on the TTHamp site earlier this month discussed this new game element in greater detail. You'll only be able to trade in the Clubhouse, and there are a number of security elements behind the scenes that required the once-per-day-per-person trading limit. The interview with the folks at Ganz points out that new chat elements were added to facilitate trading, and that (someday) Kinz Chat Plus might return. Check out the piece for the entire lowdown.

The Trading Table comes to Webkinz originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 May 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Webkinz, Habbo, Linden Lab make list of top 25 most valuable startups

Akela Talamasca — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Business models, Economy, MMO industry, Making money, Second Life, Habbo Hotel, Webkinz, Kids

The Silicon Alley Insider has the latest iteration of its "World's Most Valuable Digital Startups", a list of 25 privately-held companies with products or services on the Web. They say 'iterative', because they plan to continually update the list as market values change.

Companies of note on this list are Webkinz, the purveyors of virtual pets, valued at an estimated $2 billion dollars; Habbo, makers of Habbo Hotel, valued at $1.25 billion; and Linden Lab, the hosts of Second Life, valued at $1.1 billion dollars. If you're wondering about how they've come up with these valuation numbers, they explain their methodology, which essentially consists of four main components: implied valuations in recent financing, financial performance, market share and market size, and growth rate.

The Webkinz model is well-supported by now; it's essentially Beanie Babies in digital. Habbo Hotel is doing well enough to almost become a household name. Second Life gets the lion's share of public eyes on it by being the target of everyone's assumptions. Honestly, we're surprised that all three of these companies are still privately owned. Any bets on how much longer that will last?

Webkinz, Habbo, Linden Lab make list of top 25 most valuable startups originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 May 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively exclusive: Inside the mind of Mind Candy's Michael Smith

Seraphina Brennan — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Puzzle, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Massively Interviews, Kids, Moshi Monsters

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and spend some quality time with the CEO of Mind Candy, Michael Smith. I picked his brain about Mind Candy's newest game, Moshi Monsters, how they're going to attract and protect the kids that play it, and what some of Michael's favorite past-time activities are. Plus, we even discussed a little background on Perplex City, and the status of the anticipated alternate reality game, Perplex City Season 2.

Interested in what goes on in the mind of one of Britain's most innovative game developers? Read on after the break and find out!

Continue reading Massively exclusive: Inside the mind of Mind Candy's Michael Smith

Massively exclusive: Inside the mind of Mind Candy's Michael Smith originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lost. The Monster. Reward: Cuteness.

Seraphina Brennan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, New titles, Previews, Free-to-play, Browser, Education, Kids, Moshi Monsters

Do you like cuteness? Do you like monsters? Do you like puzzles?

If you said yes to all three, then do we have the multiplayer game for you! As we reported earlier, Mind Candy, the crazy developers behind the super-huge alternate reality game Perplex City, have been working on something for the children. Their result is Moshi Monsters, a cross between a Tamagotchi, Brain Age, and sheer attitude.

The picture to the right is Smigglesnuff. Smigglesnuff likes two things: the word "miasma" and choptastic moves. Oh, sure, she enjoys the tickles I give her, but don't mess with her unless you want your face re-arranged. Go visit her if you want to find out for yourself.

Continue reading Lost. The Monster. Reward: Cuteness.

Lost. The Monster. Reward: Cuteness. originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Rise of the Casual MMO

Brenda Holloway — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Casual

It's always a little odd to hear someone talk about gaming as 'hardcore' or 'casual' because it is, after all, still just game. When we log out of the game and turn off our computers, we've come to the same place no matter if we spent our time clearing Karazhan at record speed, or spent it in a tavern discussing the finer points of blood elf hair-styling over tankards of ale. When someone announces they are making a casual MMO, what do they mean by that? World of Warcraft was at one point described as a casual MMO, and perhaps compared to EverQuest or Dark Age of Camelot, it was. It set up a milestone for casual gaming, but gaming has moved on and now even WoW is considered too hardcore for many. How is it possible to define what a casual MMO is, when the definition keeps changing?

Continue reading The Rise of the Casual MMO

The Rise of the Casual MMO originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barbie Girls Online: Been there, done that, got the tiara

Brenda Holloway — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Barbie Girls, Kids

How will you ever tell your little girl that her friend Jane is a special VIP in Barbie Girls Online, but you won't even give her a dented copper tiara? Jane's tiara is made of diamonds, platinum and unicorn hair! Your daughter: No tiara. You: resented in real life. But you're a good mommy or daddy, and you'll buy your little girl her VIP membership and her tiara will be gold, with rubies, because you love her just that much. Welcome to the wonderful world of getting to your wallet through your children.

It's not entirely new; Kid-oriented web sites such as Webkinz and Neopets have offered dolls with codes for use on their website for some years now, but they were real dolls, and the special perks on the website were theirs forever. They had something to keep when the computer was off. Now, your daughter's tenuous reign as VIP lasts only so long as you keep paying for a VIP membership. (Barbie Girls Online also requires a Barbie-shaped dongle/MP3 player to be plugged into the computer for full access but is not required for most of the site).

Continue reading Barbie Girls Online: Been there, done that, got the tiara

Barbie Girls Online: Been there, done that, got the tiara originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beanie Babies Online entertains kids, sells toys

Samuel Axon — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Browser, Casual, Kids

Ty -- the company behind Beanie Babies -- has teamed up with Animax to take on Webkinz with a somewhat similar online service called Beanie Babies 2.0. Unlike Webkinz, the different levels of service will only unlock when children buy new real-world Beanie Babies. The toys ship with some sort of registration code that will progress the account to the next level when entered at the Beanie Babies 2.0 website.

Usually we're glad to see virtual worlds and online games adopted by the culture at large, but we're not so crazy for this one. It looks less like a meaningful experience for kids than it looks like a sneaky attempt to use technology to sell more Beanie Babies. Sure, Ty is a business, and it needs to profit. But we're more quick to admire businesses that try to do something constructive with their products as well -- like Fluid Entertainment and its environment-friendly kids' game. At the very least, the game should be fun on its own, right?

Beanie Babies 2.0 has no such aspirations. The New York Times thought it fitting to call it "Catalog 2.0."

Beanie Babies Online entertains kids, sells toys originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Green-themed kids' game nabs $3.2 million in funding

Samuel Axon — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Browser, Casual, Kids

Fluid Entertainment, a game company that employs only 14 people, has raised an impressive $3.2 million in funding for the development of a Flash-based online social game for kids aged 6 - 11. The game has an environment-friendly theme.

After the successes of Webkinz and Club Penguin, these kid-oriented games and virtual worlds are hot items for venture capitalists, according to VentureBeat. Fluid is one of many companies aiming to enter that sector of the industry, but its game is particularly intriguing because it aims to use the medium to "[affect] real-world behavior around environmentalism and sustainability."

This is one more example of the virtual world and MMO phenomenon expanding beyond the hardcore role-playing game niche and "just for fun" design. Fluid is aiming for a summer release of the new game, and its business model will combine subscriptions, micro-transactions, and apparently the sale of real-world merchandise. With $3.2 million in funding, these guys could end up notable players in the kids' MMO space, so we'll be watching them.

[Via Mashable]

Green-themed kids' game nabs $3.2 million in funding originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What's a good first MMO for a child?

Akela Talamasca — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Culture, Game mechanics, Guides, MMO industry, Club Penguin, Opinion, Toontown Online, Webkinz, The Daily Grind, Gamer Interrupted, Kids

Our Robin Torres writes a column called Gamer Interrupted, about mixing real life with gaming, and it's a wonderful read. In a recent post, the subject turned to how to make MMOs more child-friendly. A few specific titles were covered as well, including WoW and ToonTown Online, but it's worth asking if there are other good first MMO titles that are not only child-safe, but actively worthwhile for a kid to play, either alone or with a parent.

Obviously, we can mention Webkinz and Club Penguin, but are there others? Are there, in fact, any non-child MMOs that are safe for children to play?

The Daily Grind: What's a good first MMO for a child? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC08: Thinking outside the virtual world

Elizabeth Harper — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:14:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, Virtual worlds

Tuesday afternoon, Michael Acton Smith, CEO of Mind Candy, presented attendees at the GDC's Worlds in Motion summit with an interesting look at the confluence between real goods and virtual worlds. For some background on where Smith is coming from, Mind Candy "creates games and puzzles that span multiple media.... [they] use all forms of technology to tell stories and interact with... [their] audiences." They run Perplex City, an alternate reality game that uses clues puzzles in the real world combined with web-based resources to create a unique type of gameplay. Their upcoming game Moshi Monsters is an adoptable pet game geared towards kids. Smith says it's a "new type of virtual pet experience." The pets will be very alive with their own emotions (driven by a behavior engine which will cause your pet to act different ways depending on how you treat it) that will be reflected in the pet's animations. The game will also incorporate a number of social tools, so both you and your pet monster can hang out with friends. And, of course, there will be toys, oh glorious toys. (Some already available, though the game itself is still in beta and closed to the public.)

Gallery: GDC08: Worlds in Motion summit day 2

Continue reading GDC08: Thinking outside the virtual world

GDC08: Thinking outside the virtual world originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC08: Abandon Interactive's Freaky Creatures

Akela Talamasca — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 04:45:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, Galleries, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, Opinion, Mobile, Hands-on, Casual, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage

Today (and by 'today', of course, I'm talking 'earlier Tuesday', whereas for many of you reading this as it goes live, it'll be Wednesday already) I saw a vibrant new MMO called Freaky Creatures. By the end of my session with the creative team, I said this, and I quote: "You guys will hear this a lot from now on, so let me be the first: this is like Pokémon, but far, far cooler."

And it is. Freaky Creatures has a lot going for it, and it sounds like they're getting it all right. Given that the game has been in development for over 5 years now, Abandon Interactive has had the advantage of watching many an MMO rise and fall, and they're making sure they don't make the same mistakes. Read on, O Intrepid One, and lemme 'splain some things to you.

Gallery: GDC08: Freaky Creatures

Continue reading GDC08: Abandon Interactive's Freaky Creatures

GDC08: Abandon Interactive's Freaky Creatures originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC 08: Entertainment content convergence in online worlds

Barb Dybwad — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Culture, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Club Penguin, Second Life, Webkinz, Virtual worlds, Massively Event Coverage, Gaia Online

We spent most of Monday ensconced in the GDC Worlds in Motion summit track, which made "standing room only" seem extremely spacious -- most of the sessions were packed to the gills and then some. It seems like more than a few industry types are interested in the intersections between gaming and virtual worlds. Case in point, the following session we've paraphrased (hopefully not too liberally!) from Reuben Steiger, CEO of Milllions of Us, a company that builds marketing campaigns and content for virtual worlds.

Reuben: Storytelling is the bedrock of human culture. (Looking at a slide with a real campfire on the left and a user-created campfire in Second Life on the right) -- users in virtual worlds are recreating this storytelling tradition. I'm going to make a contention: the internet has failed as a storytelling medium. Instead, the norm is bathroom humor and ridiculous jokes.

So virtual worlds: are they games or not? What defines a game -- linguists and semioticians get real worked up about it. The audience might say "virtual worlds are games without rules, competition, goals or fun." And it's hard to blame them. Extreme openness has defined virtual worlds, where fun can be in a way you define as opposed to what some game developer feels is fun. But the appeal of virtual worlds is that we can tell stories on a broader and less walled playing field.

Continue reading GDC 08: Entertainment content convergence in online worlds

GDC 08: Entertainment content convergence in online worlds originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hello Kitty Online: I have no mouth, and I must scream [Updated]

Akela Talamasca — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Culture, New titles, News items, Hello Kitty Online

Some of you have anticipated it. Some of you have dreaded it. Some of us have been threatened with it, when we've been naughty bloggers ('Follow the style guidelines or we'll make you play it!'). Whatever your reaction to the news, it's finally happening: Hello Kitty Online is currently in closed beta, and will launch sometime in the latter half of 2008.

So, what can we expect from HKO? Appearances from other Sanrio characters: check. Cute explorable zones like the Flower Kingdom: check. Combat system: che -- wait, what? Combat system, guilds, extensive crafting system ... this is an actual MMORPG, not just another cutesy virtual world like Club Penguin or Webkinz!

Color me curious; I've already signed up for the beta. More news as it comes. Keep an eye on Massively for all your superdeformed, facial orifice-less, kawaii character needs.

[Updated: Closed beta actually begins on April 23rd.]

Hello Kitty Online: I have no mouth, and I must scream [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMOs for kids are just good business

Chris Chester — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Economy, MMO industry, Webkinz, Casual

According to an Internet Investment Guide released by JP Morgan, and graciously digested for us by the fine folks at Virtual World News, the wide world of the massively multiplayer is not one large mass of gaming goodness as we typically believe. According to JP, from the perspective of potential investors, there are two segments of the MMO market worth looking at; there's the part of the industry aimed at adults with which we typically concern ourselves, and there are virtual worlds aimed at children. While adult MMOs are likely to be an area of growth in the new year, they recommend that investors be "bullish" on children's MMOs because they're already incredibly mainstream, and represent a surer avenue for growth.

If you've ever witnessed the ravenous hunger with which 'tween girls pursue Webkinz, the collectible stuffed animal - MMO crossover, you'll immediately recognize the salience of JP's findings. Parents support these sorts of games because they represent closed areas of the internet where kids can safely entertain themselves on the computer without much concern about illicit content or child predators. Kids like the games because they're usually specifically tailored to their tastes and age level. And developers support them because they're comparatively easy to develop and, with the appropriate retail tie-in a la Webkinz, make companies money hand over fist. So if you're looking for a good investment, look past an Activision Blizzard, and pick up a kid-oriented company instead.

MMOs for kids are just good business originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The myth of the bloody Webkinz murders

Michael Zenke — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, News items, Webkinz, Casual, Academic, Humor

It's just a sign of the times: online worlds are increasingly a part of America's collective unconsciousness. From World of Warcraft's truck commercial to the popularity of Barbie Girls, young and old have come to accept online gaming as a part of our society. For better or worse, that means MMOs are now a part of the vicious rumormill that swirls online ... and the result is as disturbing as it is funny.

It seems there's been a rumor going around since early last year concerning the perhaps-too-popular kiddie-world Webkinz. The story goes that some sort of malware can 'kill your Webkinz' inside the game. The accounts vary, but many seem to come back to an evil version of one of the in-game NPCs coming after your huggable critters with a weapon. While the image of a chainsaw-wielding duck is evocative, Snopes sets things to right: it's completely untrue.

The site categorizes these rumors as expressions of anxiety over treasured friends/objects; much like a young person would fear a bully ripping the head of their stuffed animal off in real life, so they fear the virtual equivalent. And no, they note, neither Club Penguin nor NeoPets have anything to do with these rumors.

[Via Cleolinda]

The myth of the bloody Webkinz murders originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney investing a cool $100M in virtual worlds

Kyle Horner — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, New titles, News items

Onling gaming sites Club Penguin and Webkinz have apparently been doing so well that Disney has decided to invest in a deluge of cute, adorable virtual worlds. They plan on creating up to ten (yeah that's right, we said ten) virtual worlds that will tie into different properties. We already know about the as-of-yet unnamed Cars game Disney is making, that's just the first of many. The brand new virtual world is Pixie's Hollow and this one is based on Tinker Bell. The game is being developed with creative input by the same people responsible for Disney's theme park rides. The game is scheduled for debut this summer, just in time to help build buzz for the upcoming Tinker Bell feature film in the fall. Considering that Disney is a $35.5 billion dollar company, these virtual worlds are definitely a small investment overall at $5 to $10 million each; at least in comparison to a big-budget MMO.

All in all, it would seem that Disney is rather serious about this method of entertainment and rightfully so. With plans to make ten games, an easy prediction is that we'll see plenty of new releases over the coming years. What isn't an easy prediction is guessing just how well this endeavor of theirs will work. Disney is only the latest company to join the likes of Mattel, Nickelodeon and Lego -- just to name a few -- looking for some of that pie. It should be interesting to see how this market expands over the next couple of years, now that it's starting to get crowded.

[Via Virtual Worlds News]

Disney investing a cool $100M in virtual worlds originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NYTimes says children's virtual playgrounds are serious business

Louis McLaughlin — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Culture, Club Penguin, Webkinz, Virtual worlds

It's that's time again, gentle reader: the New York Times are taking a look at the financial side of virtual worlds, and analyzing the potential for growth within the market. But instead of focusing on Second Life or World of Warcraft, it's ... WebKinz and Club Penguin.

Despite my mental age, until now I've known the bare minimum about either. But now they're big business, and the virtual worlds market is entirely under their thrall. Or so the article claims. There are a few flaws in the article, but there's plenty of food for thought -- could virtual worlds overtake television in the children's entertainment sector? Is there big money in virtual worlds aimed at kids? Or, like the conference last month discussed, how will this influence our children?

Nobody really knows, I suspect. Analysts are notorious for being unable to predict what children want, beyond jumping on the bandwagon when it comes into town -- it's not like the 'adult' virtual worlds market, where further growth is guaranteed. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

NYTimes says children's virtual playgrounds are serious business originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virtual worlds teaching kids consumerism

Akela Talamasca — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Culture, Club Penguin, News items, Opinion, Second Life, Webkinz, Education, Virtual worlds

Here's a CNet article about a USC panel discussion concerning how virtual worlds are affecting children, sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation, who are investing in research in virtual worlds. Telling points from the discussion:

Spaces like Club Penguin and Webkinz encourage consumerism as part of being a good citizen. Well, this is true, but let's lift our heads from the monitor and realize that American culture itself embraces that model, and virtual worlds are merely the latest iteration of that concept. If we're not careful, these things will become yet another scapegoat for undesirable behavior, just like videogames have been and continue to be.

Educators continue to extol the virtues of virtual worlds as beneficial for learning. One of the strengths of online distance learning is its ability to provide the chatroom experience, which is inherently social, with the ability to immediately gratify the desire to search for background information. Being in your class in Second Life and Googling facts at the same time brings to your education a valuable 'live' experience that is difficult to match with standard real life classrooms. Add to that the playful nature of speaking through a customizable avatar, and this is a worthy new color in any educator's palette.

Real world ugliness is promulgated throughout virtual worlds, including bullying, racism, and homophobia. The problem is that, no matter how you view virtual worlds, either as utopias or dystopias, human behavior is a learned thing, and that frequently begins at home. Respect for your fellow humans must be taught. If it isn't taught, it isn't learned. Of course online spaces are filled with abusive behavior; life itself is filled with it. Like consumerism, this is a problem that virtual worlds are only bringing into sharper relief, not engendering themselves.

[Via CNet]

Virtual worlds teaching kids consumerism originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Virtual World Boom

Matt Warner — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:52:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry

Looking for a great escape from reality? Nothing comes close to a Virtual World for a thrill seeking whimsical adventure that doesn't require you to crash your bank account or take some time away from work-- except when an expansion is released or you that long-awaited beta invite shows up, thank you sick leave! It's only natural that people from all walks of life and ages enjoy being entertained by an interactive medium that offers socialization, avatars, items, mini-games and other various shenanigans. Everyone from Webkinz moms, Club Penguin kiddos, the voracious World of Warcraft indulgers and in between is getting in on some Virtual World action.

The whole Virtual World genre is going to get a lot more crowded as big media conglomerates take notice and throw staggering piles of cash around in an attempt to attract new visitors. Recent findings by the Virtual World Conference suggest that from October 2006 to October 2007 more than 1 billion dollars was invested in 35 virtual worlds companies. Over at Business Week, there is a great write-up from Paul Heyman of Game Daily about the stirrings from the last Virtual Worlds conference and where some of this money is coming from and where it's going. You won't find any Jeff Kaplan quotes on "welfare epics" but it's still worth a gander if you are interested in an upcoming subset of the genre that will probably prove to be more popular than traditional based fantasy MMORPGS.

It isn't the promise land for every Virtual World. Mike Schramm recently reported on the MMO Boom and how it isn't always peaches and cream. This year has been rough on Auto Assault and Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising as both MMOGS shut down permanently while Ryzom is still hanging on for dear life. Despite the pitfalls, MMORPGS will thrive or World of Warcraft will at least, for how long? If Ultima Online has lasted 10 years, WoW will easily top that. 2008 should prove to be a better year for MMORPGS with Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning and Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures set to hit our desktops. My hope is that these Virtual Worlds, the ones with elves and fireballs and not Hello Kitty, will be just as fun to explore as their predecessors.

The Virtual World Boom originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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