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[Habbo Hotel touts 200 million registrations]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/habbo-hotel-touts-200-million-registrations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/habbo-hotel-touts-200-million-registrations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/habbo-hotel-touts-200-million-registrations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you haven't heard of Habbo Hotel, you might just be in the minority. Sulake, the Finnish maker of the teen-focused virtual community and social game, has just announced that the title has surpassed 200 million registrations as of January 2011. If you're curious, one registration equals one character in the long-running virtual world, but the total number of unique registered users is unclear.

Habbo Hotel celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, and since its founding in 2000, it has expanded to more than 150 countries across the globe. The year 2010 represented the virtual world's most successful to date, with 42 million new registrations and over 400 million play hours logged. "The fast, continuous development of Habbo Hotel has enabled us to make quick changes and create new features according to our users' needs," said Sulake CEO Timo Soininen via press release.

MassivelyHabbo Hotel touts 200 million registrations originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>200-million200-million-accountsf2pfree-to-playhabbohabbo-hotelkidspress-releaseregistrationregistrationssulakeTimo-Soininenvirtual-worldsThu, 03 Feb 2011 19:00:00 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[Massively speaks with Sparkplay Media's CEO on Earth Eternal pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/30/massively-speaks-with-sparkplay-medias-ceo-on-earth-eternal-pt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/30/massively-speaks-with-sparkplay-medias-ceo-on-earth-eternal-pt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/30/massively-speaks-with-sparkplay-medias-ceo-on-earth-eternal-pt/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


How have the launches of FusionFall and Free Realms affected Earth Eternal? Have you changed your development or goals in any way because of the success of those two games, or have you stayed the course and continued to build things your way, disregarding those two games?

Not really, no. Games like Runescape and Habbo have had more influence on our plans than either of those two games, simply because they're so much bigger. FusionFall and Free Realms have gotten a lot of press in the last year, but neither of them have achieved the level of success that games like Runescape and Habbo have.

Actually, nobody really knows how Free Realms is doing outside of SOE. Three million registrations doesn't tell you much about how many active players they have as you don't know how quickly players are churning out of the experience. With the massive dollars they spent on marketing too, it'd be surprising if they couldn't get a few million registrations. The challenge for them (and everyone else in this space, including us) is to convert that fleeting attention into long-term, loyal players.

"We're more in the vein of a classic fantasy MMO than a collection of minigames."
How will Earth Eternal separate itself from the growing free-to-play genre in America? What will make this game stand out?

We're a different kind of experience from FusionFall or Free Realms. We're more in the vein of a classic fantasy MMO than a collection of minigames. I think where we stand out is by offering the best browser-based fantasy MMO out there. We've made the decision to have no humans, elves, or dwarves (or gnomes, hobbits, or anything else too close to human), preferring instead to offer everything from humanoid lizards and falcons to the Clockwork and Yeti. We're definitely fantasy but we want to stay away from the pack, almost all of whom have the humans/elves/dwarves thing going on. We've also got an enormous number of races for players (unlike the two games you mentioned) - 22 at launch.

Considering all of Earth Eternal's development, what part of the game are you the most proud of? What is that one feature you can't wait to show off?

The number one thing I'm proud of is how much our team has managed to do on relatively little funding for an open world 3D MMO (about five million dollars.) As far as game features go the biggest feature I'm looking forward to showing off is our Groves system, which will be introduced at final launch, a few months after we go into open beta.

Thanks so much for your time, Matt!

MassivelyMassively speaks with Sparkplay Media's CEO on Earth Eternal pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earth-eternaleefantasyfree-realmsfree-to-playfusionfallhabbohabbo-hotelinterviewiron-realms-entertainmentmassively-interviewsmatt-mihalymudsrunescapesparkplay-mediaTue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively speaks with Sparkplay Media's CEO on Earth Eternal]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/30/massively-speaks-with-sparkplay-medias-ceo-on-earth-eternal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/30/massively-speaks-with-sparkplay-medias-ceo-on-earth-eternal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/30/massively-speaks-with-sparkplay-medias-ceo-on-earth-eternal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


With Sparkplay Media's first game, Earth Eternal, going into beta, we got the chance to sit down with the CEO of the company, Matt Mihaly, and pick his mind on a variety of things related to setting up shop in the free to play genre.

Matt's no stranger to the massively multiplayer space, holding a strong background as the CEO and founder of Iron Realms Entertainment, a company dedicated to creating multi-user dungeons (MUDs) including Imperian, Aetola, Achaea, and Lusternia. If that wasn't enough, Achaea was one of the first games to introduce the sales of virtual goods, making him one of the pioneers of the base that free-to-play games now stand on.

So what's his thought process behind Earth Eternal? What are some of the things we can expect from the MMO that's sporting over 22 races? Hit the continue reading link, and find out!

Continue reading Massively speaks with Sparkplay Media's CEO on Earth Eternal

MassivelyMassively speaks with Sparkplay Media's CEO on Earth Eternal originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ceoearth-eternaleefeaturedfree-realmsfree-to-playfusion-fallhabbo-hotelinterviewiron-realms-entertainmentjoystiqfeaturesmassively-interviewsmatt-mihalymudsrunescapesparkplay-mediaTue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:00 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[Keen Teens? Not on MMOGs/Virtual Worlds, study finds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/keen-teens-not-on-mmogs-virtual-worlds-study-finds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/keen-teens-not-on-mmogs-virtual-worlds-study-finds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/keen-teens-not-on-mmogs-virtual-worlds-study-finds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Pew Research has just published results of a study into American teens focusing on video games and civics, entitled (oddly enough) Teens, Video Games and Civics. Almost all teens game, but few are into MMOGs and virtual environments.

Overall, 97% of teens (99% of boys, and 94% of girls) were gamers, with 80% of teens generally playing five or more different genres of games. Racing, Puzzle and Sports games topped the list (with 74%, 72% and 68% respectively), while MMOGs like World of Warcraft, et al came in at second-last place with just 21% and virtual environments (Second Life, Habbo Hotel, and so) in last place with only 10%.

The five most popular games among teens were Guitar Hero, Halo 3, Madden NFL, Solitaire, and Dance Dance Revolution ranging in ratings from E for Everyone to M (Mature).

Continue reading Keen Teens? Not on MMOGs/Virtual Worlds, study finds

MassivelyKeen Teens? Not on MMOGs/Virtual Worlds, study finds originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academicculturehabbo-hotelmmo-industryopinionsecond-lifeteensvirtual-worldsworld-of-warcraftThu, 18 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Where is Second Life going?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/where-is-second-life-going/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/where-is-second-life-going/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/where-is-second-life-going/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Where is it all going? With an MMOG you already know: Content updates, free and paid expansions, and so forth. A broadening and sometimes also a deepening of the game experience.

Virtual environments tend to be a bit hazier, largely supported by microtransactions they may include game-elements (like Entropia Universe), sci-fantasy settings (like the upcoming Blue Mars), specific celebrity events (Habbo) or merchandise and marketing-focused experiences (Virtual MTV, Barbie Girls Online and more).

In a very real sense the virtual environments industry is largely about focus. Targeting a market, wooing a demographic, and showing them where you are going to take them in the coming days.

Interesting, then, that the world's best-known virtual environment, Linden Lab's Second Life lacks the answers to fundamental questions, the answers to which directly impact every user and organization who participates (or who might participate in future). In fact, hardly anyone is asking those questions. Now isn't that peculiar?

Are you a part of the most widely-known collaborative virtual environment or keeping a close eye on it? Massively's Second Life coverage keeps you in the loop.

Continue reading Where is Second Life going?

MassivelyWhere is Second Life going? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barbie-girls-onlineblue-marsentropia-universehabbohabbo-hotellinden-labmmo-industryopinionsecond-lifeteen-second-lifevirtual-mtvvirtual-worldsTue, 26 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Habbo crests 100 million avatar milestone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/26/habbo-crests-100-million-avatar-milestone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/26/habbo-crests-100-million-avatar-milestone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/26/habbo-crests-100-million-avatar-milestone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


One hundred million. 100 million. 100,000,000. No matter how you look at it, it's an extraordinarily large number. It's the number of colors most women are capable of seeing. It's the number of websites that existed in 2006. It's a song by the rapper Birdman. It's also, rather incidentally, the number of avatars created to date in the simple and spectacularly successful Habbo Hotel.

Naturally, that doesn't correlate to 100 million users (Habbo usually clocks in at about 8 million a month), but it's still a testament to the power of a simple virtual world aimed at an extremely active demographic. The lucky sap who created the actual 100 millionth avatar was awarded one of those fancy new Macbook Airs, as well as a slew of in-game goodies like a specially designed room, in-game currency, and rare items. Here's hoping they see 100 million more!

MassivelyHabbo crests 100 million avatar milestone originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100-millionavatarsBirdmanhabbohabbo-hotelmacbook-airThu, 26 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Virtual Greats to sell celebrity likenesses]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/virtual-greats-to-sell-celebrity-likenesses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/virtual-greats-to-sell-celebrity-likenesses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/virtual-greats-to-sell-celebrity-likenesses/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

And not just likenesses. Metaverse developer Millions of Us intends to market likenesses, hair-styles, catchphrases, dance moves, signature moves, clothing lines, furniture collections -- you name it -- based on well-known celebs all under the banner business name of Virtual Greats. These appearances and digital accessories would be sold in dozens of virtual worlds, though you'll probably see them in Gaia Online, Habbo and Second Life first.

Deals have already been done with Justin Timberlake, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Snoop Dogg, Paris Hilton, Raven Symone, Marvel (for The Incredible Hulk), and Tila Tequila, and more are in the works.

Continue reading Virtual Greats to sell celebrity likenesses

MassivelyVirtual Greats to sell celebrity likenesses originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelscultureeconomyelvis-presleygaia-onlinehabbohabbo-hoteliron-manjustin-timberlakemarvelmillions-of-usmmo-industrymouparis-hiltonraven-symonesecond-lifesnoop-doggthe-incredible-hulktila-tequilavirtual-greatsvirtual-worldsMon, 16 Jun 2008 23:00:00 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.

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Market research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics has forecasted a surge in virtual world registrations over roughly the next decade. The firm's study is titled 'Market Forecasts for Virtual World Experiences - from Habbo Hotel to Second Life and Beyond - 2008 to 2017.' It posits that roughly 22 percent of global broadband users will participate in one or more virtual worlds on some level. The end result will be a global virtual world market with one billion registrants. That throng of virtual world residents will provide an estimated eight billion USD in service opportunities for companies that learn how to do business effectively in these spaces.

Strategy Analytics has been keeping a close eye on virtual worlds of late. The firm released another report on the growing market in May, as well as a presentation seemingly geared towards fledgling companies wishing to capitalize on what might seem to them an abstract, if not bizarre, new market. Adrian Bowles, Executive Director of Virtual World Strategies at Strategy Analytics, writes, "For this generation it is as natural to interact with a friend represented by a flying cat as it is for real world senior citizens to gather in a town center and reminisce," for his 'Finding Business Value in Virtual Worlds' presentation. The Strategy Analytics next-decade projections are specifically for non-gaming virtual worlds. Were they to include the massively multiplayer online market, the global figures would likely be drastically higher.

MassivelyOne billion people will flock to virtual worlds by 2017 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesshabbo-hotelmarketsecond-lifeservicesstrategy-analyticsvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsFri, 06 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Virtual worlds without interoperability are dead worlds, Swaminathan]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/virtual-worlds-without-interoperability-are-dead-worlds-swamina/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/virtual-worlds-without-interoperability-are-dead-worlds-swamina/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/virtual-worlds-without-interoperability-are-dead-worlds-swamina/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Kishore Swaminathan, chief scientist for IT consulting firm Accenture is skeptical about the long-term success of non-game virtual worlds that lack interoperability. Swaminathan believes that interoperability of accounts, assets and a common currency are key to the success of virtual worlds.

Swaminathan draws parallels between closed virtual worlds like Habbo Hotel and Second Life with closed services such as Compuserve -- although seems to neglect that services such as Compuserve were established in a time where interoperability pre-existed.

Nevertheless, despite something of a heady rush of corporations towards closed worlds, Swaminathan sees them outgrowing those worlds very quickly, and looking towards more open and interoperable systems. 'I don't think, two years from now, there will be a Second Life...', he said.

[via Virtual Worlds News]

MassivelyVirtual worlds without interoperability are dead worlds, Swaminathan originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accenturecompuservehabbo-hotelkishore-swaminathansecond-lifevirtual-worlds-newsSun, 01 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Webkinz, Habbo, Linden Lab make list of top 25 most valuable startups]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/webkinz-habbo-linden-lab-make-list-of-top-25-most-valuable-sta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/webkinz-habbo-linden-lab-make-list-of-top-25-most-valuable-sta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/webkinz-habbo-linden-lab-make-list-of-top-25-most-valuable-sta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

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?

MassivelyWebkinz, 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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beanie-babieshabbohabbo-hotellinden-labsai-25second-lifesilicon-alley-insiderwebkinzworlds-most-valuable-digital-startupsFri, 02 May 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bad News Week: Shock! Horror! Crime wave!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/bad-news-week-shock-horror-crime-wave/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/bad-news-week-shock-horror-crime-wave/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/bad-news-week-shock-horror-crime-wave/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In Bad News Week, we take an irregular peek at some of the most mixed up and counterfactual reporting that the mainstream media performs on virtual worlds and MMOs, and lay it out for your interest and entertainment. The UK Mirror's Jon Clements reports "Police probe Second Life over virtual crime wave" from which you might reasonably infer that there is a crime wave going on in Second Life, and that you're about to read about it.

Well, you'd essentially be wrong. Let's take a look and what the Mirror had to say.

Continue reading Bad News Week: Shock! Horror! Crime wave!

MassivelyBad News Week: Shock! Horror! Crime wave! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bad-news-weekcharlie-mcmurdiehabbo-hoteljon-clementsmirroropinionportsmouth-universitysecond-lifevirtual-worldsTue, 25 Mar 2008 05:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Does it get any better?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Take an advertising/marketing operation and mix it with a virtual world, and what do you get? No, not There -- well, maybe them, but that's not who we mean. The answer is Riplounge.

Browser-based and 2.5D (2D sprites in a pseudo 3D environment), Riplounge is for ... umm. Well, actually we're not quite sure. We think it is aimed largely at the wannabe-hip, under-25, knows-about-the-same-about-computers-as-your-granny demographic. Or maybe the I-wish-I-was-15-again demographic.

Continue reading Does it get any better?

MassivelyDoes it get any better? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>habbo-hotelnew-titlesriploungetherethere.comvirtual-worldsSun, 23 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Thinking outside the virtual world]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-thinking-outside-the-virtual-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-thinking-outside-the-virtual-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-thinking-outside-the-virtual-world/#commentsFiled under: , ,


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

MassivelyGDC08: 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barbiegirlsbe-bratzbeanie-babiesbuild-a-bearbuild-a-bearvillefeaturedgdcgdc08gdc08fanboyhabbohabbo-hotelmaplestorymichael-acton-smithmind-candymoomoshi-monstersneopetsshining-starsthinkgeektoyswebkinzwimworld-of-warcraftworlds-in-motionwowThu, 21 Feb 2008 07:14:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Sulka Haro tells us how to Habbo]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/gdc08-sulka-haro-tells-us-how-to-habbo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/gdc08-sulka-haro-tells-us-how-to-habbo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/gdc08-sulka-haro-tells-us-how-to-habbo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Sulka Haro, lead designer on the wildly popular Habbo Hotel virtual world, yesterday gave the Worlds in Motion summit audience an in-depth half-hour rundown on the Habbo phenomenon. At its core, the Sulake company project is a meeting space for teens - a place to hang out and be someone else for a few hours. The fact that the company can boast millions and millions of unique users worldwide, though, speaks to something many have grasped for and few have succeeded at: a virtual world where people feel truly comfortable.

Haro offered up a peak behind the curtain, at the origins of Habbo as the four room 'Hotel Goldfish'. He discusses the successes they've had in markets abroad, their surprise at the game's adoption by teens, and the numerous ways they allow players to acquire in-game currency. He also notes that Habbo is a world-record setting title in at least one way: they've probably sold the most virtual reindeer poop ever in the history of man.

Read on for a dissertation on a poop-selling, smashing success story.

Gallery: GDC 08: Worlds in Motion summit

Continue reading GDC08: Sulka Haro tells us how to Habbo

MassivelyGDC08: Sulka Haro tells us how to Habbo originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredgdc08gdc08fanboyhabbohabbo-hotelmicrotransactionssulka-haroTue, 19 Feb 2008 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[More thoughts for the future in Second Life and beyond]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/more-thoughts-for-the-future-in-second-life-and-beyond/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/more-thoughts-for-the-future-in-second-life-and-beyond/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/more-thoughts-for-the-future-in-second-life-and-beyond/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

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

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

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

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ChildrenEducationGartnerGlobalisationHabbo-HotelInteroperabilitySecond-LifeVirtual-Worlds-newsWorld-of-WarcraftFri, 28 Dec 2007 12:01:00 EST<![CDATA[New MMOSG: Sociotown]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/20/new-mmosg-sociotown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/20/new-mmosg-sociotown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/20/new-mmosg-sociotown/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

A new MMOSG (that's Massively Multiplayer Online Social Game, which I don't recall seeing before, but sure, why not?) has sprung up, and it's called Sociotown. Now, not to knock something before it's even been released, but when I hear 'socio-' anything, I immediately think sociopath. And that's not the image you want to send across for a virtual world.

Regardless, from looking at the latest footage, there are a few things I need to comment on. Won't you follow along with me?

First of all, point-and-click movement is awkward. I've never liked it, despite the fun to be had in Diablo and Mythos, and prefer WASD movement. Second of all, the look of this world is similar to a lot of other similar social spaces, so no innovation there. Third, there is some interest in not being able to immediately see another person's name, forcing you to introduce yourself to him/her. Fourth, 'Socio dollars' is just more awkwardness -- why not SoBucks?

Continue reading New MMOSG: Sociotown

MassivelyNew MMOSG: Sociotown originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cyworlddiablohabbo-hotelinstrumentsmmosgmythosOz-the-gamesecond-lifesobuckssociopathsociotownwasdThu, 20 Dec 2007 19:00:00 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[Social currency and giving in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/03/social-currency-and-giving-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/03/social-currency-and-giving-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/03/social-currency-and-giving-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SFGate.com takes on virtual giving in MMOs, with pretty accurate results-- they cover everything from Facebook (is that an MMO?) to Habbo Hotel, and even though they don't take on any more traditional MMOs (I've heard many stories of gift-giving in World of Warcraft), the fact remains that in any game where players can transfer items among one another, there's a possibility of giving virtual gifts for the holidays.

Have you ever done it? SFGate says there's meaning associated with these virtual gifts, and I think that's definitely true-- spending your own time to craft or purchase an ingame gift for someone is definitely meaningful, and as more and more people play MMOs, more and more people will understand what it means to put together enough money to buy them an Epic item.

But the article also (rightfully, I think) doesn't cross the line and say that a virtual gift would replace a real one. In my estimation, getting a virtual gift is nice, and definitely would be enough for any acquaintances you've met in game, but for real-world friends and family, just a virtual world gift isn't enough. What do you think?

[Via 3pointd.com]

MassivelySocial currency and giving in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gift-givinghabbo-hotelholidaysvirtual-giftsworld-of-warcraftMon, 03 Dec 2007 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Taatu launches English beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/taatu-launches-english-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/taatu-launches-english-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/taatu-launches-english-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Taatu, founded in Belgium in 2005, looks very much like Habbo Hotel. The similarities of visual styling and target age-group (tweens/teens: 10-19) is pretty much the first thing that everyone remarks on.

Previously available in Dutch and French, Flash-powered, free-to-play, browser-based, virtual world Taatu is now also in available in beta for English-speakers as well (all launched from a single web-page).

Continue reading Taatu launches English beta

MassivelyTaatu launches English beta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Nov 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>habbohabbo-hoteltaatuThu, 22 Nov 2007 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Drew Carey goes on dates with fiancee inside Second Life]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/drew-carey-goes-on-dates-with-fiancee-inside-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/drew-carey-goes-on-dates-with-fiancee-inside-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/drew-carey-goes-on-dates-with-fiancee-inside-second-life/#commentsFiled under: ,

The next time you see a couple being cutesy in SL, it might just be Drew Carey and his fiancee. According to PARADE Magazine, they use Second Life to go on dates when they're in different cities. While I think that they deserve kudos for finding a way to stay close to each other when away, I do take issue with Drew's explanation.

You see, he seems to think that SL is a website that is like a virtual world. For those unaware, you would go to the official Second Life website to download a client for the virtual world. Come on, Drew! That's like saying that The Price is Right is a reality tv program that's like a game show. Are you sure you're not meeting up in Habbo Hotel?

MassivelyDrew Carey goes on dates with fiancee inside Second Life originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>drew-careyhabbo-hotellinden-labparade-magazinerantsecond-lifeslthe-price-is-rightThu, 22 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST