Habbo Hotel
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Virtual Greats to sell celebrity likenesses
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.
"Free-To-Play" model pulls in a dollar per user in the west
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]
One billion people will flock to virtual worlds by 2017
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.
Virtual worlds without interoperability are dead worlds, Swaminathan
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]
Webkinz, Habbo, Linden Lab make list of top 25 most valuable startups
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?
Bad News Week: Shock! Horror! Crime wave!
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.
Does it get any better?
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.
GDC08: Thinking outside the virtual world
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-16441%
GDC08: Sulka Haro tells us how to Habbo
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-16369%
More thoughts for the future in Second Life and beyond
It 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: Education will be big next year Second Life, World of Warcraft and Habbo Hotel (amongst others) will continue to grow The usage by children/tweens will be a big growth area Challenges are: Ease of use and induction Spreading platforms that can access virtual worlds Interoperability Globalisation Please, go read both articles and add your comments here or there!
New MMOSG: Sociotown
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?
Kzero forecasts virtual world growth through 2008
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.
Social currency and giving in MMOs
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]
Taatu launches English beta
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).
Drew Carey goes on dates with fiancee inside Second Life
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?
Dutch teen arrested for stealing virtual furniture
So, try to follow us on this one. A 17-year-old in the Netherlands was arrested for stealing €4,000 worth of virtual property -- specifically, furniture in the online world of Habbo Hotel.For the uninitiated, Habbo Hotel is a massively-multiplayer online world, based around 2D graphics and blocky, pixelated avatars interacting in a series of inter-connected, isometric rooms. At the heart of Habbo is the collection of furniture and accessories, which are acquired with the in-game currency, which is in turn acquired by forking over real cash for its equivalent amount in Habbo Coins.Still with us? Good. The 17-year-old in question reportedly used a phishing scam to obtain the passwords of various Habbo Hotel players. Once logged in as those characters, the teenager -- along with five 15-year-old accomplices -- were able to steal the victims' furniture by moving the pieces from the owners' rooms to the suspect's. The accomplices were questioned, but the only arrest made so far was for the 17-year-old. Crime just doesn't pay, kiddies. Even when it's adorable.
