Business in Virtual Worlds News Roundup – Dec 1-7 2008
Headlines about virtual worlds just from the past week.
Big week! Take a second and get yourself a cup ‘o tea before you get started.
Hmmm. I need to find a way to work with this stuff a little more full-time, but I’m not sure a news blog is really in Clever Zebra’s gamut since Metaversed.com. Well hey, if you have a sack full of money and you’re interested in the project, let me know. Meanwhile, back to work!
For other weeks, see the archive page.
Disclaimer: As with everything on my blog, the opinions expressed here are mine and do not reflect on Clever Zebra, the vBusiness Expo, my friends, my family, my blip channel, any of the other “Jack of All Strange” stuff that I do, etc etc etc… k here we go:
Top Stories
Forrester: Virtual Worlds Offer More Engagment, Need More Education and Better Metrics
Millions of Us (a 3D content provider firm) and a group of virtual worlds commission Forrester to create a report showing the future of business in virtual worlds. Snapshot from VWN:
The report outlines the key benefits of the current virtual worlds market as offring “unprecedented depth of engagement with consumers”; reaching a young, creative community that’s hard to find elsewhere; new worlds with better metrics systems; and virtual merchadising that “resonates with youth and can be very cost-effective.”
This stuff is always a compelling read for us industry-types, but it’s how we use the takeaways when communicating with others that will move the market.
Second Life’s Second Wind
I guess Forbes likes virtual worlds this month.
Forterra Announces OLIVE 2.2, Lotus Sametime Integration
Great demo of the app in action:
Quick Stat: Franktown hits 100k Registrations; Yoowalk Hits 100k Uniques; zOMG! Reaches 500k Players
Registrations are great, but I wish there was a way to know how many of those registrations stick.
WebAlive: A Virtual World that Means Business
A great sneak peek at Nortel’s “Project Chainsaw”, which promises practical applications aimed at productivity.
GoFish Gets $22.5M in Financing
GoFish is doing quite well, incorporating a number of virtual worlds and a youth-oriented ad network. This funding should help them take it to the next level.
Knowledge Adventure Announces Launch of the JumpStart.com Virtual World
Press Release. Basically represents a shift in focus toward virtual worlds.
UCF’s Media Convergence Lab aims to ease stroke patients’ pain
One more application of the technology that affects people’s lives in a real and lasting way.
Second Life Received 40k Press Mentions This Year
Oh but every single bit of it is hype I’m sure. It’s… y’know, some guy behind a curtain… probably. Oh, and home computers? A fad. Please.
Training and Education
Exploring medical training in Second Life – Imperial College London’s Virtual Medical School
In this case, the virtual space is being used as a way to illustrate the recommendations of London Strategic Health Authority’s report “Healthcare for London: A Framework for Action”.
BSU uses ‘emerging media’ to communicate, educate
Ball State University, which has previously brought its libraries into Second Life, has expanded to create a space for architecture students in house and across 30 Latin American colleges collaborate on different designs. (via VWN)
Nurses to train in Second Life
Glasgow Caledonian University starts up a training program for nurses in SL. Welcome folks!
Psychologists Doing Research in Virtual World Pay Subjects in Virtual Money
Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, jumps in and starts spreading the wealth.
Government and Military
Defence Academy releases report titled “Serious Games in Defence Education”
As part of Caspian’s work in the Defence sector they also just compiled a report on ‘Serious gaming in defence education’ for the Ministry of Defence. They do some interesting educational projects, including the award-winning Rome in Danger and some work lately with UK Defence College of Policing and Guarding. (Report direct download link)
UN Climate Talks in Poland Enter “Second Life”
A Second Life tour of the United Nations COP14 global climate talks going on right now in Poznan, Poland.
Army Launching Second Life Presence Next Month
Recruiting drive! Makes sense, considering how successful past corporate recruiting drives have been. C|Net offers up a video report, so good on them for supplying some visuals… although you’re forced to manually skip ahead to the 2:45 mark, and they noobishly claim that Second Life is “kinda over”. So I’ll just link instead of embed.
Forterra Awarded Contract by PEO STRI to Integrate Virtual World Technology with OneSAF
That many acronyms, there must be a military involvement! Good on ya guys, this is a nice fit.
Marketing
Planet Cazmo Announces Concert Series with Sony & Interscope
Press Release. Looks like record companies are taking this stuff pretty seriously as a promotional vehicle.
MindArk Partners with Singer Kevin Rudolf for Cross Promotion
Another music artist, another target demographic, another virtual world.
Meltingdots starts Weblin-based-services
Concerts in Weblin, courtesy of Japan’s finest content provider Meltingdots. (They’re great by the way, look them up if you want to see some impressive things. Unpaid endorsement! LOL…)
VirtualGoodsNews.com Launches: The Business of Microtransactions, V Goods, Gifts and Items
In a move that screams “we don’t need no stinking brand management,” VWN launches a second news website with a similar name. I get the theory here, I do… but I don’t know. I might have just started tagging stories “virtual goods” and made select tags visible along the top of the page. Brand dilution is very dangerous, no matter how important it is to keep up with the evolution of the industry. Coupled with the rebrand of “Virtual Worlds 2009″ into “Engage! Expo”, and the new “3D Training, Learning and Collaboration (3D TLC)“… this is going to take a LOT of marketing genius to maintain brand integrity. Best of luck guys!
Gaming
Sega Launches Gaming Community with Virtual Goods
Sega lures kids with free games.
Ridemakerz Builds a Virtual World For Boys Filled With Its Toy Cars
A world promoting an RC toy line. Good on ESC for selling their platform!
Red Bull becomes first brand on PlayStation Home
Well, “first” apart from Sony itself!
Nerds Only
Club Cooee Releases Slick 3D Messenger In Private Beta (Grab An Invite)
Is this a good idea? I felt awkward about it just watching the video… I’ll let you decide:
Facebook and Google Launch ID Connecting Systems
File this under “May-or-may-not Matter or Even Apply”. You have a file folder labeled that, right? Of course you do, everybody does…
Newbs Only
Original Sim
A nice, well-written overview of how the environment helps architects explore creatively. Some discussion with Scope Cleaver.
How Long Until EVERYONE Has a Store in Second Life?
Interesting thoughts on the insanely rapid progress of the Internet.
Sociological Oddities
Advertising Police Arrive Inside Second Life
Ineffectual spray that’s supposed to make your car invisible to radar gets nailed for false advertising claims.
Paedophile Rachata Burasite caught after grooming 13-year-old in virtual world
Message to pedophiles: you WILL be caught! A few comments here from the Gaia team.
People Are Racist in the Virtual World, Too
An interesting follow-up to last year’s academic study on racism.
Internet Addiction A Reality in A Virtual World
A rather compelling read from The Seoul Times about the struggles they’re having being saturated as they are with digital technology. One of those problems that sneaks up on ya.
