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Habbo owners bringing chat back, making big changes
Following a special report by UK's Channel 4 News on child predation and the lack of proper security in Habbo, all chat functionality in the game was taken down. Today, Habbo owner Sulake put out a statement that chat will be reintroduced, accompanied by better protection and moderation. Community members were given an opportunity to voice their concerns, reactions, and thoughts about Habbo in an event called the Great Unmute. CEO Paul LaFontaine said that feedback from the Great Unmute will "inform and direct" his long-term plan for Habbo, and that when chat functionality comes back online, it will be a "Protected Democracy," where the speech, safety, and interest of legitimate users comes first and foremost. Protected Democracy is a new concept that we are pioneering in a poorly regulated social gaming industry. It can only be realised through a mix of technology, moderation, education and engagement. This is a complex combination that cannot be achieved in a single step. That is why I will turn the Habbo site back on in phases, focusing on specific markets to test the new technology. Before then I will be carrying out live tests (beginning in Finland today), to ensure our new systems are delivering the improved safety levels we anticipate.
Habbo chat disabled as another investor pulls out
Habbo has lost another investment partner as an investigation into alleged user misconduct continues. Earlier this week, UK broadcaster Channel 4 went public with reports of "sexual, perverse, violent, and pornographic" chat in the children's virtual world formerly known as Habbo Hotel. Today, Gamasutra reports that 3i, a private equity group that owns 16 percent of Habbo parent firm Sulake, is pulling out. Previously, Sulake shareholder Balderton Capital returned its stake, while retailers Tesco and WH Smith removed Habbo gift cards from their websites. Sulake CEO Paul LaFontaine subsequently announced that all chat functionality on the Habbo website has been disabled pending the results of a potentially lengthy internal investigation.
Habbo accused of harboring predators, CEO fights back
Habbo, a popular children's virtual world, is under fire today by UK's Channel 4 News. The station aired a special report suggesting that the social network as a haven for pedophiles and child predators and promising to expose "the extent of sexually explicit material on the social network." Habbo (formerly Habbo Hotel) is shedding investors with the news; Habbo's parent company Sulake lost its second largest shareholder, Balderton Capital. The former shareholder released a statement saying, "We were given some information a week ago that profoundly shocked us. We had to ask ourselves whether we were comfortable being investors in a business where children were not being adequately protected." Habbo CEO Paul LaFontaine fought back against the accusations by saying that Habbo is "one of the safest online communities" and has a large team of moderators that tracks the millions of messages sent between the network's users "To keep users safe, we filter content and block inappropriate users," LaFontaine said. "We work with child safety organisations and local police forces to address inappropriate behaviour. Habbo's leading safety systems were recognised as making the service one of the safest social networks in a 2011 European Commission report."
Habbo Hotel touts 200 million registrations
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.
2008 Worlds in Motion Summit schedule announced
The 2008 Worlds in Motion Summit schedule has been announced, along with a synopsis of this year's speeches and panels. The conference on virtual worlds and social gaming will be held on September 16th and 17th, during the Austin Game Developers Conference.Worlds in Motion bills the 2008 Summit as a conference geared toward those who wish to better understand the business opportunities offered in the expanding social game networking space, and who plan to leverage their content and brands into interactive online worlds. Early bird registration ends July 31st; details can be found at the Austin GDC homepage. Read on after the jump for highlights of the upcoming 2008 Worlds in Motion Summit.
The top 20 most influential people in the MMO industry
If you've ever searched the web for a comprehensive list of the biggest and the best in the MMO industry, Beckett Massive Online Gamer magazine has done it for you in a recent article entitled "Top 20 Influential People in Massively Multiplayer Video Games of 2007". The top half of this list should reveal no surprises for you, including such industry celebs as John Smedley, Scott Hartsman, Raph Koster and number one on the list: Rob Pardo. But the bottom half of the list may contain a few names you don't yet recognize. Interestingly enough, NCsoft makes an appearance four times on this list with James Phinney of ArenaNet, Richard Garriott and Starr Long of Destination Games and Jess LeBow of Carbine Studios.This list highlights the most talented people in the industry and how they've influenced the future of MMOs, as determined by Beckett. You can find more details on each of their stories in the printed issue itself (Issue #13 for July-August) which hit newsstands on May 28th.
Virtual theft in Habbo Hotel leads to real arrest
Virtual theft just got very real. One teen was arrested and five were questioned in relation to missing furniture in Habbo Hotel. BBC News is reporting that over $5,800 USD worth of the virtual goods, paid with real money, were liberated.The six teens allegedly scammed customers by creating fake Habbo sites, where users would be prompted for a password. With over six million people all over the world logging in, it has become a target for thieves. Sulake, the creators of Habbo Hotel, became involved after they noticed a large amount of imposter sites. Habbo Hotel is a virtual world with tiny inhabitants. You can purchase gold coins, for about five per dollar, to buy items in-world. You are also able to join groups and own pets.[Via Techmeme]
