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[Free for All: New browser-based converts shine light on issues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/free-for-all-new-browser-based-converts-shine-light-on-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/free-for-all-new-browser-based-converts-shine-light-on-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/free-for-all-new-browser-based-converts-shine-light-on-issues/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Fiesta Social screenshot
I recently threw out a prediction that within five years, most of our MMO content will be coming through our browsers. To be more specific, I think that most players in the United States will be enjoying their favorite MMOs within a browser. That can mean several things but does not refer to games like Free Realms, a client-based game that is only signed-into at the browser level. As with any discussion about genres, mechanics or styles in the MMO world, I have to be very specific.

It's pretty likely that a very large percentage of the US playerbase is already playing browser-based games. Look at the American market for games like RuneScape, Battlestar Galactica Online, Club Penguin, Drakensang Online, Evony, and Ministry of War and you might just find millions of players.

Next we need to consider that there are more games coming into the browser market. This new batch is essentially a group of standard, client-based MMOs that are porting themselves to the browser. I tend to be a little skeptical about some of these in the short-term, for several reasons.

Continue reading Free for All: New browser-based converts shine light on issues

MassivelyFree for All: New browser-based converts shine light on issues originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>8realmsbattlestar-galactica-onlinebeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedclub-penguindrakensang-onlineevonyf2pfeaturedffafiesta-onlinefiesta-socialfree-for-allfree-realmsfree-to-playfreemiumftpillyriadjagexministry-of-waropinionrunes-of-magicrunescapetibiavelvet-ropeWed, 25 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Family: Why games are good for family]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/mmo-family-why-games-are-good-for-family/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/mmo-family-why-games-are-good-for-family/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/mmo-family-why-games-are-good-for-family/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Free Realms
A couple of years ago, Massively readers engaged in a great discussion that doesn't get covered nearly as much as it should. Thanks to former Massively columnist Lisa Poisso, the column MMO Family was born, and she and the readers looked at how MMOs affect the family, both the positives and the potential dangers.

I'm excited to have the opportunity to start the column up again because I think a lot has changed in the short time since the column went on hiatus. We'll revisit a few issues that Lisa brought up and some of the more recently released MMO titles to see which ones are the best for family-centered gaming. To kick things off, I'd like to explore why MMOs are good for kids and for the family unit as a whole. When it comes to talk about kids and gaming, the discussion tends to revolve around the negatives, like violence, antisocial behavior, or lack of physical activity. No one will argue that MMOs, as with most anything, can have detrimental effects when played to excess. But to focus on the negatives is to ignore the vast amount of benefits that gaming can provide. Read on for a few examples.

Continue reading MMO Family: Why games are good for family

MassivelyMMO Family: Why games are good for family originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguindestructoidfamilyfamily-gamingfeaturedGDC-Online-2011hamza-azizkaren-bryankidsmegan-bellmind-candymmo-familymoshi-monsterspax-east-2011wizard101Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: The rise of the browser]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/mmobility-the-rise-of-the-browser/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/mmobility-the-rise-of-the-browser/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/mmobility-the-rise-of-the-browser/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Glitch screenshot
Over the last week I have been obsessing over Glitch, the new browser-based MMORPG brought to us by Tiny Speck. I will go into details of why in my Rise and Shiny column, but for now, let's just say that I think it is one of the greatest things I have come across in a long time. For the record, I was talking about Glitch before it was popular (that hipster cred should get my a free pair of glasses in Glitch!) and was excited about starting this column because of games like Glitch.

In short, I knew that the browser market was huge, and I knew it was only going to grow bigger. Yes, I know what you're thinking, and yes I am claiming that we are starting to see the end of the heavy-duty client and demand for expensive hardware and upgrades. It's a big prediction, but click past the cut and let me explain.

Continue reading MMObility: The rise of the browser

MassivelyMMObility: The rise of the browser originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlestar-galactica-onlinebeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedChromeBooksclub-penguinDofusearth-eternalf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpglitchgoogleillyriadjagged-alliance-onlinekultanmilmoMMObilityorder-and-chaos-onlinepuzzle-piratesrunescapespiral-knightsstar-legendsstar-trek-infinite-spaceufo-onlinewakfuFri, 07 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Family: A parent's look at Club Penguin]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/mmo-family-a-parents-look-at-club-penguin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/mmo-family-a-parents-look-at-club-penguin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/mmo-family-a-parents-look-at-club-penguin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family, from tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate online games for everyone in the family.

Perhaps the leading name in virtual worlds aimed at the younger set, Club Penguin has taken its place as the starter game of choice for many a young online gamer. Ask around any elementary school, and you're bound to find kids who're playing this Flash-based browser game.

We'd heard of the game too, of course -- but we'd never played. So let's take a look at how this virtual world of waddling friendlies stacks up against the rest of the kids' games we've reviewed in our Parent's Guide to Kids & Family Gaming.

Continue reading MMO Family: A parent's look at Club Penguin

MassivelyMMO Family: A parent's look at Club Penguin originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserbrowser-basedchild-friendlychildrenclub-penguinf2pfamilyfamily-friendlyfamily-gamingfree-to-playfreemiumkid-friendlykidsmmo-familyparents-guideparents-guide-to-kids-and-family-gamingvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsTue, 21 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A cautionary tale of account security in Club Penguin]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/a-cautionary-tale-of-account-security-in-club-penguin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/a-cautionary-tale-of-account-security-in-club-penguin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/a-cautionary-tale-of-account-security-in-club-penguin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Many MMO gamers have children who are eager to jump into the online world but are unaware of the dangers that lurk there. While many kid-friendly MMOs have systems to guard children from unwelcome contact and identity theft, they still require the assistance of parents to teach their kids how to be safe in games.

The Ancient Gaming Noob's Wilhelm recently shared a cautionary tale involving his daughter, Club Penguin, and a breach of account security. Even though she was cautioned not to share a list of details with anyone in game, all it took was the offer of a special item to get her to give up her account name and password to a stranger. This resulted in a headache, as the account was banned, and Wilhelm went back and forth with Club Penguin to re-establish his daughter's account and security. In the end, he found that Club Penguin's security was just as questionable as his daughter's judgment, and passed this story along to the rest of us in an effort to guard our own young ones from this unfortunate event.

Considering that account security, personal identity and privacy are hot topics these days, we feel that this story is an eye-opener as to how far both game companies and families have to go to protect our loved ones from being exploited. You can read Wilhelm's full account over at The Ancient Gaming Noob.

MassivelyA cautionary tale of account security in Club Penguin originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountAccount-Securityaccount-theftclub-penguindisneyfamily-mmoidentity-theftkid-friendlypasswordpersonal-identityprivacythe-ancient-gaming-noobwilhelmWed, 14 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: The history]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-legend-of-the-sims-the-history/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-legend-of-the-sims-the-history/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-legend-of-the-sims-the-history/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Sims Online was one of the odder entrants into the MMO genre this past decade, an online iteration of an immensely popular game franchise that promised deeper social interaction. With EA at its back and the Will Wright name affixed to the front, TSO (not to be confused with Cryptic's STO) had a solid shot at cracking the big time.

It did not. It went over as well as a fish flopping out of water to make a go for it on dry land, eventually realizing that it was both going nowhere and dying slowly. The end result? It stunk.

And yet it was an interesting failed experiment in MMO gaming, especially considering that the concept wasn't as off-base as we once thought. With social "dress up" games booming -- Second Life, Habbo Hotel, Club Penguin, Hello Kitty Online, even elements of LEGO Universe -- The Sims Online could be seen as a prophet of the future, mistreated in its own time. Return with us to the days of pixelated 2-D isometric glory, as the Game Archaeologist interprets the Simlish of ancient tomes for your benefit.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: The history

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: The history originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguineaea-landelectronic-artseverquestfeaturedhabbo-hotelhello-kitty-onlinelego-universemeat-marketpenny-arcadered-light-districtsecond-lifesimlishsimlish-is-just-nonstop-swearingsimsstar-trek-onlinestothe-game-archaeologistthe-simsthe-sims-onlinetsoTue, 06 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Disney Interactive shows overall loss, Club Penguin gains profits]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/disney-interactive-shows-overall-loss-club-penguin-gains-profit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/disney-interactive-shows-overall-loss-club-penguin-gains-profit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/disney-interactive-shows-overall-loss-club-penguin-gains-profit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Disney ventured into the world of casual MMOs for kids back in 2005 with Virtual Magic Kingdom. While VMK is no more, the Disney staff responsible for those MMOs are no doubt patting themselves on the back this week for making that leap.

Disney released its Q1 2010 earnings earlier this week, and Disney Interactive Media -- a division that covers console, handheld, and PC/online games -- reported profits down 29%. The standout in these numbers was MMO Club Penguin, which saw "strong growth in paid subscription contributing to better results," according to SVP and CFO Jay Rasulo.

This follows the trend toward casual games as of late, and is serving to help steer Disney away from high end console games. Disney CEO Bob Iger says "we're going to continue to make games for the high end, we'll be very, very judicious in how many and which ones we choose."

MassivelyDisney Interactive shows overall loss, Club Penguin gains profits originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualchildrens-gamesclub-penguinDisneydisney-interactivekidsThu, 11 Feb 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Plenty of gaming options for today's 'tweens]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/22/plenty-of-gaming-options-for-todays-tweens/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/22/plenty-of-gaming-options-for-todays-tweens/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/22/plenty-of-gaming-options-for-todays-tweens/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

According to this MSNBC article, there are no less than 200 youth-oriented virtual worlds and MMOs either in development or on the market. Some of these titles even boast account numbers that rival Facebook and MySpace as analysts estimate 30M users in Club Penguin, 52M users in Neopets, and 90M in Habbo.

Is this really surprising though? Probably not when you consider that kids today aren't totally different in this generation than previous generations. 'Tweens have always liked to socialize, play, and simply "hang out." The difference nowadays is that parents tend to have looser restrictions and the kids can accomplish most of the things they like to do without even leaving a computer chair. The rules and tools have changed.

The article also talks about a 89/10/1 rule that most F2P/RMT games aim for. This rule assumes that 89% of people will play your game for free, 10% will pay the minimum, and 1% will spend lots of money. Apply that rule to the recent announcements that both Free Realms and Runes of Magic have surpassed 1M users. If the rule applies, it means 100,000 people are paying the basic fees (~$5/month) and 10,000 are spending oodles on extras ($15+/month). That's roughly $650,000 per month, which isn't half bad depending on your development costs.

MassivelyPlenty of gaming options for today's 'tweens originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 May 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguinfacebookfree-realmsgaminghabbo-hotelkidsmmorpgmsnbcmyspaceneopetsrunes-of-magictweensvirtual-worldsFri, 22 May 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The New York Times reviews Free Realms]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/21/the-new-york-times-reviews-free-realms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/21/the-new-york-times-reviews-free-realms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/21/the-new-york-times-reviews-free-realms/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


These realms may not be completely free, but darn if the New York Times loves them anyhow. It's a little strange to see a major publication like the NY Times reviewing Free Realms, let alone any review for an MMO from any outlet. Still, the fact that SOE's little free-to-play game-that-could smacked down the one million accounts mark in record time probably has a little to do with this much attention.

As far as reviews go, this one is highly positive and praising of both Free Realms and SOE, and its not very surprising at this point. Just about everyone has had nothing but good things to say about the title -- not that any game is without its faults, especially at launch.

The message the NY Times' review ends with is one we agree upon. Free Realms is definitely a triumph for the company that lost much of its EverQuest thunder to Blizzard's World of Warcraft. And really, there's no greater proof than having everyone talking about the game. Well that one million account record is also good proof, we suppose.

MassivelyThe New York Times reviews Free Realms originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardclub-penguineverquestfree-realmsnew-york-timesny-timessoeworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 21 May 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TurpsterVision : A Class Act]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/turpstervision-a-class-act/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/turpstervision-a-class-act/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/turpstervision-a-class-act/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

I wont bore you all with words and phrases strung together to create some form of coherence, instead I will jump right back in! I am extremely proud to invite you once more to join in with the fun right here at Massively that is TurpsterVision!

After last time trying to sell you all on a new form of entertainment media, I thought I'd return to something a little more traditional. Something that all the MMO fans out there, all the World of Warcraft fans, could really get behind. A game that's on everyone's lips and dancing right into their hearts. That's right: Club Penguin.

Join me below the cut for a special deluxe edition (complete with tuxedo) of TurpsterVision!

Continue reading TurpsterVision : A Class Act

MassivelyTurpsterVision : A Class Act originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguincpfeaturedfeaturedvideojoystiq-featurestuperster-visionturpstervisionThu, 04 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: MMOs for Newbies?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/the-daily-grind-mmos-for-newbies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/the-daily-grind-mmos-for-newbies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/the-daily-grind-mmos-for-newbies/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Wizard101 launched just yesterday, and it's enough to get us thinking about the growing field of youth-oriented MMOs. Despite their intentions, these 'kiddie' games are actually great on a number of levels. Not only do they fulfill the obvious demographic needs (games for young kids, games for teens, games parents can play with their kids) many of them are quality enough to be worth playing by adults.

So we wanted to ask today: what 'kiddie' games are you playing? Do you think the new crop of kid and teen-oriented MMOs is a good thing, or a bad thing? Looking forward to SOE's Free Realms as much as the Massively crew is? And most of all, what MMOs would you suggest for folks looking to get their kids into games?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: MMOs for Newbies? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguinfeaturedfree-realmskid-gameskidsneopetsopiniontdgthe-daily-grindwizard101Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Pancakes?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/the-daily-grind-pancakes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/the-daily-grind-pancakes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/the-daily-grind-pancakes/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Pancakes, just about everyone loves 'em. They're deliciously light and fluffy and can be sweetened with everything from blueberries to chocolate chips. Just like their flat 'n tasty counterparts, Pancake MMOs are light, fluffy and sweet all over. Hello Kitty Online, Go Pets, Neopets, Free Realms, Club Penguin and the near bouquet-size of franchise-based MMOs coming from Disney seem to be piling up on our proverbial plates. These MMOs can taste great and do tend to venture into fun, experimental game design territory. However, are they also like actual pancakes in that too many will cause everyone to grasp their collective stomachs and painfully moan, "Too many pancakes!" or can we stomach endless amounts of soft, tasty sweetness?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Pancakes? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguindisneyflapjacksfree-realmsgopetshello-kitty-onlinehkoneopetspancake-mmopancakesthe-daily-grindWed, 06 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E308: Disney Interactive Studios shows off Club Penguin on the DS]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/e308-disney-interactive-studios-shows-off-club-penguin-on-the-d/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/e308-disney-interactive-studios-shows-off-club-penguin-on-the-d/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/e308-disney-interactive-studios-shows-off-club-penguin-on-the-d/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

At E3 today, Disney Interactive Studios announced their lineup of new titles releasing later this year. All of these titles were developed with family in mind, and most are exclusive to the console market. Yet, in relation to MMO news, they've also shown off their new Club Penguin expansion which will be released for the Nintendo DS.

Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force will introduce kids to all new adventures in the Club Penguin world. They will be able to connect with friends via DGamer, Nintendo Wi-Fi connection and ad hoc play. They will be able to wirelessly connect with the existing virtual Club Penguin world using the Nintendo DS to unlock special features and upload coins to their online penguin account. Elite Penguin Force is set to release just in time for the holiday season later this year.

MassivelyE308: Disney Interactive Studios shows off Club Penguin on the DS originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday the 13th: An inauspicious day for the superstitious crowd, but a great day for attendees of the Social Gaming Summit, held in San Francisco. The day saw a schedule full of great panels, populated by some of the industry's finest movers and shakers, among them representatives from Gaia Online, Nexon, Three Rings, and Gamasutra, among others too numerous to list here.

A particular highlight of the conference for this blogger was the panel entitled "Casual MMOs and Immersive Worlds", which provided a lively discussion on what it means to create a virtual social space, how to monetize free-to-play content, and what exactly is a casual MMO? Trying to divide attention between listening raptly and taking notes is difficult; here is the result, along with the panelists, after the jump.

Continue reading The Social Gaming Summit: Casual MMOs and Immersive Worlds

MassivelyThe Social Gaming Summit: Casual MMOs and Immersive Worlds originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auditioncasual-gamesclub-penguineventfeaturedfree-to-playgaia-onlinejoystiqfeaturesk2-networkkart-riderlostmaple-storymassively-event-coveragemicrotransactionsneopetsnexonpanelplayerbasescionsocial-gaming-summittexas-hold-emWed, 18 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOs thought to account for health of PC gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/mmos-thought-to-account-for-health-of-pc-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/mmos-thought-to-account-for-health-of-pc-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/mmos-thought-to-account-for-health-of-pc-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Players and pundits alike have been pointing to NPD figures as an indicator that PC gaming is in a decline compared to console sales. However, as pointed out by Randy Stude, PC Gaming Alliance president and Intel gaming program director in a recent interview, these figures ignored MMO subscription sales, something NPD hadn't been tracking until earlier this year. "And lo and behold, after just a quarter of research, they found -- under a rock that they hadn't looked at before -- a billion dollars."

While Stude was essentially calling for the PC gaming industry to come together to clear up this sort of confusion, there is more at work here than simply saying that PC gaming is hale and healthy based simply on MMO subscription numbers. For one thing, MMOs are merely one arm of the industry, not the industry itself. World of Warcraft alone must count for a significant total of those NPD numbers, not to mention virtual worlds like Club Penguin.

Continue reading MMOs thought to account for health of PC gaming

MassivelyMMOs thought to account for health of PC gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguindeclineindieindustryintelnpdpc-gaming-alliancerandy-studeworld-of-warcraftTue, 17 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA["Free-To-Play" model pulls in a dollar per user in the west]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/free-to-play-model-pulls-in-a-dollar-per-user-in-the-west/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/free-to-play-model-pulls-in-a-dollar-per-user-in-the-west/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/free-to-play-model-pulls-in-a-dollar-per-user-in-the-west/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

One dollar per user per month may not sound like a huge revenue for any game, but when you start thinking in the terms of the user base of games like Habbo Hotel, Club Penguin and RuneScape you start to realize how much a dollar is really worth.

Lightspeed, a venture capital firm, recently did a few calculations to come up with the figures of how much revenue is generated by a single user in today's most successful free-to-play, microtransaction supported MMOs. What they came up with is a pretty interesting look at how much a "successful" MMO will make. For example, Habbo Hotel pulls in around $1.30 on average for each of their active users per month, while RuneScape pulls in 84 cents per active user per month.

The one figure that stood out from the pack was Second Life, which pulled in 9 dollars per user per month thanks to things like land ownership and the premium subscription that land owners have to buy to be able to own property. Even with Second Life in the mix, it's interesting to see that these types of MMOs don't make much per user, yet still can pull in great amounts of revenue by entertaining huge player bases.

[Via Kotaku]

Massively"Free-To-Play" model pulls in a dollar per user in the west originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguindisneyeconomyfree-to-playhabbo-hoteljagexkotakulightspeedlinden-labmicrotransactionrunescapesecond-lifeslsubscription-basedMon, 16 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Talkin' smack to kids in online games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/talkin-smack-to-kids-in-online-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/talkin-smack-to-kids-in-online-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/talkin-smack-to-kids-in-online-games/#commentsFiled under: ,

Anyone who has ever listened to a teenager on Xbox Live knows how it goes. He's saying WHAT? Racist, homophobic, bigoted language ... and that's just in their handles. Given easy voice chat, conversation heads straight to the lowest common denominator. But unfortunately perhaps, it's not possible to censor voice chat as easily as it is to censor text in order to make the chat safe for children.

That's a pretty difficult design problem. Given you have written a game for children where chatting is possible, is it even remotely possible to make sure conversation stays friendly and helpful? This very question is the subject of this week's Game Career Guide Design Challenge. Now, this would be a hard enough challenge for text alone, and luckily, that's all the challenge covers. With the growing pervasiveness of voice chat, though, even the best text-based filtering solution will fail utterly. SOE has promised to integrate Vivox voice chat technology in its future games, including its "M"-rated The Agency and its "G"-rated Free Realms. This is a challenge SOE will face at launch. How would you guarantee a safe environment for a child, one where they could not give away any personal information, where they wouldn't be exposed to hateful speech or threats, but where they could speak freely with the friends they know?

David Craddock at our sister site, Big Download, reports about a group of kids who are monitoring chat and reporting unhealthy chat or just tasking the game publishers themselves to monitor chat. Club Penguin's developers claim two-thirds of their staff is devoted to monitoring chat and customer service. Kids will always find a way around restrictions, and the only real solution is for parents to closely monitor their kids when they are online in any capacity. No other system can possibly take their place.

[Via Gamasutra]

MassivelyTalkin' smack to kids in online games originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big-downloadclub-penguindavid-craddockdesign-challengefree-realmsgame-career-guidegame-mechanicskidssoethe-agencyvivoxxbox-liveThu, 22 May 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively hands-on: Wizard101]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/massively-hands-on-wizard101/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/massively-hands-on-wizard101/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/massively-hands-on-wizard101/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


KingsIsle Entertainment was founded way back in 2005 -- and since their inception, they seem to have stayed quietly sequestered in their offices, hard at work on unknown projects. With a team consisting of industry veterans from Wolfpack (creators of Shadowbane) and Ion Storm, it was hard not to be curious about their work. If you're one of the many who have been wondering what the team has been working on, you're in luck, because they've just announced their first project: Wizard101.

We recently had a chance to visit KingsIsle's Austin studios (they've taken up residence in a corner of the complex formerly inhabited by Origin Systems) and enroll in the Ravenwood School for the Magical Arts for a day to get a feel for the game. Though this game is aimed at kids ("tweens" that are too old for the likes of Club Penguin but too young for their parents to feel comfortable letting them loose in Barrens chat), its turn-based combat system and trading card game elements may interest you, too. So what makes Wizard101 different from the proliferation of MMOs on the market? A few elements of the game caught our eye...

Gallery: Wizard101 concept art


Gallery: Wizard101

Continue reading Massively hands-on: Wizard101

MassivelyMassively hands-on: Wizard101 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For those not keeping up on their Club Penguin developments (and why not, it's a fairly amusing and eminently kid-friendly flash-based browser game), they've recently implemented a new "Big Screen" version of the client. The gameplay area used to be about 760x480 and now clocks in by default at a robust 910x575 (rough estimates using our Print Screen-fu), allowing us to see our online penguin counterparts in greater detail and clarity than ever before.

Much to our surprise however, there was not universal praise for this graphical upgrade. Mesagirl over at Ten Ton Hamster lamented the larger size playing field, saying higher resolutions are for the elderly and that the bigger size gives her headaches after extended play. They ran a little straw poll to get readers' thoughts on the subject, and the vast majority of them agreed with us that the bigger size is a positive development. It's a moot point anyway, since you just change the screen size with a push of a button. You don't hear most people complaining about the default resolutions for games like Age of Conan; the same rules apply here in this blogger's mind.

MassivelyClub Penguin's screen-size conundrum originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An interesting report on social media by the Nielsen group recently found that Club Penguin, the kid-friendly browser-based MMO acquired by Disney last year for a robust $350 million, may be plateauing or even declining in growth in the face of newer, more competitive social media experiences. While the Nielsen methodology is never made expressly clear (and no direct competitors managed to crack the Top 10), the report does indicate that using the same methodology, they found a 250% growth rate year-over-year just last August.

MMO vet Raph Koster is less than surprised by this development, attributing the slight decline in unique visitors more to the increased competition in that space, rather than any specific detriment in Club Penguin itself. Raph speculates that we'll continue to see the market fragment as more kiddie MMOs enter the market. And, judging my store shelves these days, they're coming in droves. While he seems to be of the opinion that the days of these niche MMOs competing in the same arena as MySpace and Facebook are over, that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of money to be made and kids to be entertained.

MassivelyAre Club Penguin's days of growth numbered? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualclub-penguindisneyfacebookkiddiemarket-fragmentationmyspacenielsenraph-kostersocial-mediaWed, 21 May 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ION 08: A five year forecast for MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/ion-08-a-five-year-forecast-for-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/ion-08-a-five-year-forecast-for-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/ion-08-a-five-year-forecast-for-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


There's always a lot of discussion about what's going to be the next big thing in the MMOs industry. We all love to talk about the future and that's largely because it's a very interesting topic. So we just had to attend the "Online Games in 2013" panel at ION 08. This panel was actually introduced by Peter Freese, the ION Conference Director. It was easily one of the most packed panels I've been to thus far which is saying a lot since all the panels have been pretty well populated already.

The panel consisted of Erik Bethke (GoPets Ltd), Scott Jennings (NCsoft), Bridiget Agabra (Metaverse Roadmap) and Damion Schubert (BioWare). With a group of people like this I was expecting some varied and compelling conversation on the topic of MMOs in 2013. In the end we got just that and a quite a bit more.

Gallery: ION 08: MMOs in 2013

Continue reading ION 08: A five year forecast for MMOs

MassivelyION 08: A five year forecast for MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 May 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardbiowareblizzardbridget-agabraccpcity-of-heroesclub-penguindamion-schuberterik-bethkefeaturedgopetshabbohollywoodindieionion-2008ion08ion2008joystiqfeaturesmetaplacemetaverse-roadmapmicrotransactionsncsoftpeter-freeseplaystation-3rightsscott-jenningsworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 15 May 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[ION 08: Virtual worlds for the masses]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/ion-08-virtual-worlds-for-the-masses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/ion-08-virtual-worlds-for-the-masses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/ion-08-virtual-worlds-for-the-masses/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


What's a virtual world? Why do we even call them virtual worlds when we could easily call them digital worlds, or just simply, worlds? This was just one of the many interesting topics discussed at ION 08 this year in a panel entitled, "Redefining Virtual Worlds for Mass Markert Consumption" which is quite the mouthful. So lets put things in a more understandable -- and far more interesting -- perspective.

Whether you're talking about Club Penguin, Gaia Online or Second Life the truth of the mater is that these "worlds" are here to stay and they all share similarities -- social interaction. Not only are they here to stay, but they've only just begun to grow as a market. Which is why this panel was all the more interesting. The panel includes Erik Bethke (GoPets Ltd), John K. Bates (Mindark/Entropia Universe), Craig Sherman (Gaia Online), Rob Lanphier (Linden Lab/Second Life) and was moderated by David Elchoness (Association of Virtual Worlds).

Gallery: ION 08: Game Conference gallery

Continue reading ION 08: Virtual worlds for the masses

MassivelyION 08: Virtual worlds for the masses originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardassociation-of-virtual-worldsblizzardclub-penguincraig-shermandavid-elchonessentropia-universeerik-bethkefeaturedgaia-interactivegaia-onlinegopetsionion-2008ion08john-k-batesjoystiqfeatureslinden-labmindarkrob-lanphierrob-lindensecond-lifeworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 14 May 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Has the MMO industry been irresponsible with children?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/has-the-mmo-industry-been-irresponsible-with-children/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/has-the-mmo-industry-been-irresponsible-with-children/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/has-the-mmo-industry-been-irresponsible-with-children/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Frustration and disappointment was squarely behind the creation of the kid-friendly online space Club Penguin. Co-founder and general manager Lane Merrifield was sick and tired of the MMO industry's "cynicism" when it came to children. Merrifield and his partners went forward with the gamespace as a side project, a world unsupported by VC money or expectations.

GamesIndustry.biz sat down for a chat with the man, and delved into the context behind one of the most successful kid-oriented titles on the market. In his words, he'd be "silly" not to be surprised by the game's runaway success and the purchase by Disney. The human element, he offers, has been critical to their success. "Merrifield also thinks that there is an over-reliance on technology that ignores the human element, which is why they've decided to devote two-thirds of the company's staff to positions such as safety moderators and customer service. 'We know the limits of technology, even though I would put our filtering software up against anybody's, especially because of that human element - we're adding 500 to 1000 words every day to the filters, simply because of slang that works its way into the language.'"

MassivelyHas the MMO industry been irresponsible with children? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 May 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childrenclub-penguindisneylane-merrifieldmmo-industryFri, 09 May 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively exclusive: Inside the mind of Mind Candy's Michael Smith]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/massively-exclusive-inside-the-mind-of-mind-candys-michael-smi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/massively-exclusive-inside-the-mind-of-mind-candys-michael-smi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/massively-exclusive-inside-the-mind-of-mind-candys-michael-smi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


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

MassivelyMassively 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualclub-penguinexclusivefeaturedinterviewinterviewsjoystiqfeatureskidsmichael-smithmind-candymonstermoshi-monstersperplex-citypxcstardollwebkinzWed, 30 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Rise of the Casual MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/12/the-rise-of-the-casual-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/12/the-rise-of-the-casual-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/12/the-rise-of-the-casual-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

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

MassivelyThe 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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguindaocdark-age-of-cameloteqeverquestimgdckart-ridermmommo-industrynick-fortugnoparking-warsrebelmonkeysolitairewebkinzworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 12 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Green-themed kids' game nabs $3.2 million in funding]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/green-themed-kids-game-nabs-3-2-million-in-funding/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/green-themed-kids-game-nabs-3-2-million-in-funding/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/green-themed-kids-game-nabs-3-2-million-in-funding/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

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]

MassivelyGreen-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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angel-investorsclub-penguinenviromentalismfluidfluid-entertainmentgreeninvestorskidsmashableventureventure-capitalistventurebeatwebkinzWed, 12 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's a good first MMO for a child?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/02/the-daily-grind-whats-a-good-first-mmo-for-a-child/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/02/the-daily-grind-whats-a-good-first-mmo-for-a-child/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/02/the-daily-grind-whats-a-good-first-mmo-for-a-child/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

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?

MassivelyThe 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>child-friendlychild-safechildrenclub-penguinfirst-mmogamer-interruptedkidsopinionrobin-torresthe-daily-grindtoontown-onlinewebkinzworld-of-warcraftSun, 02 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC 08: Entertainment content convergence in online worlds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/gdc-08-entertainment-content-convergence-in-online-worlds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/gdc-08-entertainment-content-convergence-in-online-worlds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/gdc-08-entertainment-content-convergence-in-online-worlds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


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

MassivelyGDC 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ARGsclub-penguindisneyenitechlabsfeaturedfox-tvgaia-onlinegdc08gdc08fanboygossip-girlmillions-of-usmoureuben-steigersarah-connor-chroniclessecond-lifeSLsocial-networkssony-homestorytellingsummer-slamvirtual-worldswebkinzworld-wrestling-entertainmentwweTue, 19 Feb 2008 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[David Perry posits 70 Million player massive game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/david-perry-posits-70-million-player-massive-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/david-perry-posits-70-million-player-massive-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/david-perry-posits-70-million-player-massive-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

David Perry, a gent who used to be synonymous with the quirky developer Shiny Entertainment, is now best known for his work in the Massive games industry. He recently did an interview with the website videogame247, where he essentially said that World of Warcraft is still too niche for the potential MMOs represent. In fact, he could see a game someday existing that nets '70 million players'. As he puts it, "we haven't got anyone that's thinking down the Will Wright path."

Perry is looking to outfits like Club Penguin or MapleStory as harbingers of the future. He posits that if World of Warcraft were to go free-to-play, it would be looking at a 25 million-strong playerbase instead of 'only' 10 million. He himself is very familiar with the free-to-play model, as several of the Acclaim online titles he's imported to the country of late are based on that paradigm. How successful do you think a free-to-play WoW would be? Will we ever get to a 70 million player game, or is that 'the crazy talk'?

[Via RPS]

MassivelyDavid Perry posits 70 Million player massive game originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguindavid-perryfree-to-playmaple-storyrmtsporewill-wrightworld-of-warcraftFri, 15 Feb 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hello Kitty Online: I have no mouth, and I must scream [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/hello-kitty-online-i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/hello-kitty-online-i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/hello-kitty-online-i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

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.]

MassivelyHello 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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingclosed-betaclub-penguinflower-kingdomhello-kitty-onlinehkokawaiinew-titlesanriosuperdeformedwebkinzThu, 14 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Club Penguin kids turn MMO fun into $1 million for charities]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/10/club-penguin-kids-turn-mmo-fun-into-1-million-for-charities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/10/club-penguin-kids-turn-mmo-fun-into-1-million-for-charities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/10/club-penguin-kids-turn-mmo-fun-into-1-million-for-charities/#commentsFiled under: ,

After all the stories about online gaming addiction, we're glad when we see the occasional bit of goodness come out of virtual worlds and MMOs. This time, we're happy to hear that New Horizon Interactive (now owned by Disney), the developers of Club Penguin, encouraged the kids who play its game to donate some of their hard-earned virtual cash to charity.

New Horizon assigned a real currency value to each donation, and let kids choose which kind of charity to give to -- children's health, the environment, or kids in the developing world. When the donation period ended, the company donated about $1 million dollars to three charities. Among those, the World Wildlife Fund received about $330,000. Not bad!

Let's hope this is the start of a trend. As Kenny Luna over at Treehugger pointed out, this is a win-win scenario; Disney and New Horizon get some positive media attention, and charities get much-needed support. Imagine what kind of results Blizzard could get if it did something like this in World of Warcraft!

MassivelyClub Penguin kids turn MMO fun into $1 million for charities originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Virtual World News site took the time to pick through an earnings call from the house of Mouse, and found that Disney had a ton to talk about when it came to Virtual Worlds. From comments made during the call by company President Robert Iger, their purchase of Club Penguin last summer and the launch of Pirates of the Caribbean Online was just Disney clearing its throat. In addition to an online world based on the film "Cars", the company plans to spend some $100 million on virtual worlds in the coming years.

Iger clarified that there were a few reasons for Disney's shift to the virtual. First, the company's franchises are being re-examined for new opportunities. VWs fit in nicely alongside plush dolls, action figures, and kiddie clothing in a marketing agenda. Second, it's much easier to develop and staff a virtual world than it is to design and build a new theme park attraction. That's historically been the only place fans could really get 'inside' their favorite Disney products, and Virtual Worlds are a nice alternative. Finally, he notes that for a younger audience online worlds are just plain more important than they are for older generations. Yet more evidence of the growing cachet of online gaming.

MassivelyMickey goes online as Disney invests in Virtual Worlds originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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]

MassivelyDisney 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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It's not *that* seriousIt'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.

MassivelyNYTimes 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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystsbandwagonclub-penguinmoneynytimessecond-lifevirtual-worldswebkinzworld-of-warcraftMon, 31 Dec 2007 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kzero forecasts virtual world growth through 2008]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/kzero-forecasts-virtual-world-growth-through-2008/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/kzero-forecasts-virtual-world-growth-through-2008/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/kzero-forecasts-virtual-world-growth-through-2008/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

UK-based virtual world consulting and research firm Kzero have put out a predictions for virtual worlds for 2008. Note, of course that this covers the 'Metaverse' class of virtual worlds, that is primarily non-game.

The chart they use is a wonderful piece of at-a-glance display, showing age-groups, time of establishment, current population, projected age-groups, and projected populations all in one straightforward (if large) chart.

Continue reading Kzero forecasts virtual world growth through 2008

MassivelyKzero forecasts virtual world growth through 2008 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activeworldsclub-penguinhabbo-hotelkzerosecond-lifevirtual-worldsWed, 19 Dec 2007 05:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Disney making online game based on the movie "Cars"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/disney-making-online-game-based-on-the-movie-cars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/disney-making-online-game-based-on-the-movie-cars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/disney-making-online-game-based-on-the-movie-cars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


According to the San Fernando Business Journal, Disney Online plans to release a virtual world game based on the hugely successful 3D-animated film Cars.

Disney sees this as a way to keep kids invested in the franchise "for years to come" even without a sequel on the horizon. The article also says that Disney plans substantial future investments in these sorts of projects because they've had success with other titles like Toontown Online and Club Penguin.

While games like this don't usually get as much attention from the gaming media, they're arguably no less successful or lucrative than games like EverQuest II.

[Via Worlds in Motion]

MassivelyDisney making online game based on the movie "Cars" originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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]

MassivelyVirtual 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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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.

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Age-of-ConanAge-of-Conan-Hyborian-AdventuresClub-PenguinHello-KittyMMORPGMMORPG-BoomMMORPG-BudgetOnline-GamingRyzomUltima-OnlineVirtual-WorldVirtual-Worlds-ConferenceWarhammerWarhammer-OnlineWarhammer-Online-Age-of-ReckoningWebkinzWorld-of-WarcraftWoWTue, 16 Oct 2007 14:52:00 EST