Business in Virtual Worlds News Roundup – Feb 9-15 2009
Headlines about virtual worlds just from the last week. See the archive page for past weeks.
Did some heavy filtering this week. Lots of people saying they’re going to launch, or about to do something… great, call me when the time comes then. I’m not that much of a fanboy.
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
New partnerships and collaborations:
- FlowPlay Distributing Casual Games Through Miniclip
- PayByCash Signs Deal to Accept Ukash Vouchers
- Children’s Internet to Distribute Elf Island
- Super Rewards Acquires Frozenbear Apps, Personnel
- Trilogy Studios Expands, Partners with UltiZen for Kids World
- Social Calendar to Sell Virtual Currency Through Amazon Payments
Quick Stat: Wizard101 Hits 1M+ Unique Registrations
Nice follow-up to the other day’s story. I guess the Choose-your-own payment schema has something to it.
Virtual reality therapy effective in reducing burn patients’ pain
More innovative applications from the medical industry. Neat photo:
Gogofrog Announces Its Commercial Launch
Gogofrog is a great tool allowing anyone to create a browser-based space in minutes, no plugins required. Back in 2007 when I spoke with then-CEO Vincent Teubler they already had a really huge Asia-Pacific following, so I can only imagine how they’ll explode now. Lots of features, including creating/selling your own virtual goods. Check out this directory of existing rooms.
SmallWorlds Launching on Facebook and Bebo
Another Facebook world.
Why Twitter beat Second Life
Apparently BtoB feels that SL is dead except for “some success as a trade show alternative”.
Either Mobile Payments Getting Traction On Social Networks, But Fees Are Sky High,
or Zong: U.S. Mobile Transactions to Rise While Fees Drop
depending on how you want to look at it. Hmmm. How about a video overview?
Events
Virtual meetings to ground 2 million airline seats
Should airlines be worried? VWN also blogged this with a nice link back to me. Thanks guys!
Seeding meetings morph into virtual reality
“[...] the process of seeding teams for the boys basketball state tournament will be conducted virtually, right down to the coaches’ meetings.” What’s interesting here is that they’re not even talking about a 3D space – for them it’s just more practical to meet in ANY fashion online than in person.
Six Advantages to Virtual Trade Shows
The full article is worth a read, but here are the highlights:
- Triumph Over Tighter Budgets
- Spread Your Wings (kicks you out of a rut)
- Open a Stall in a New Market
- The Future Is Green
- Follow That Lead! (easier contact data capture)
- Market to the Twenty-First Century Customer
Want to Hold a Virtual Event of Your Own?
Clever Zebra offers event support and white-label services for anyone interested in a branded gathering in a virtual space. From venue setup and hosting to VIP orientation to speaker coordination, we’ll handle it all. Contact us today!
Training and Education
School of Dentistry, Viterbi team up to create virtual dental clinic
More from the medical field.
Research uses virtual world to inspire math and science
Researchers from Clemson University and Appalachian State University leverage virtual worlds to excite seventh-graders about math and science.
Sun Microsystems and Kasetsart University drive Virtual World Innovation in Thailand with ‘Project Wonderland’ Technology
This is actually a really great way for Sun to continue the development of Wonderland: let the students get creative with it. Should be a positive experience.
Study: Can Games Improve Workplace Collaboration?
$3 million in funding from the National Science Foundation goes to the University of California, Irvine to answer the question.
Second course: KU class meets in online fantasy site
The Lawrence Journal-World approaches the whole issue as if its unheard of… which I suppose is the proper academic approach, isn’t it?
Government and Military
Help wanted: public service avatars
A very “gosh isn’t this neat!” article about various state departments IT personnel working in virtual spaces.
Welcome to cyber-London
London gets a 3D online presence.
Clinton State Department Looks To Boost Online Presence
Interesting look at some of the thinking over at the State Department.
Virtual warfare logs on
A more than $1 million virtual reality simulation trainer for infantry soldiers for the Hawaii Army National Guard.
Marketing
Elf Island – Virtual World for Kids – Creates Its Own Economic Stimulus Package
Is it clever marketing, or something more? You decide.
Gaming
Phantom EFX launches money-free casino
Apparently gambling is fun even when there’s nothing on the line, and it’s a social event. Who knew.
Littlest Pet Shop virtual world about to yip
Nobody tell my kid! Sssshhhhh!
GameWager Brings Virtual Goods to Competitive Gaming
Play games like Counterstrike to win tickets for cutting edge PCs. Expect a rush on pwnage guides
Nerds Only
IEEE Opens Robotics Lab in Second Life
Well if anything can lend legitimacy to virtual worlds, IEEE can.
Vivox Integrating with Unreal 3
Ok, it’s under “nerds only” because it’s just a feature that one could argue players were using other technology for already, but… pretty cool! Big win for the folks at Vivox too.
Sony Reveals 24 Licensed Developers for Home
They are: Acquire, Activision, AQ Interactive, Atlus, Capcom, D3 Publisher, Disney Interactive, EA, Game Republic, Genki, Gungho, Hudson, Irem, Koei, Konami, Namco Bandai, Nippon Ichi, Paon, Q Entertainment, Sega, SNK Playmore, Spike, Tecmo, and Ubisoft. Yay. It might not suck someday now.
Newbs Only
Second Life Attempts to Stage a Rebirth
For some reason Adweek thinks Second Life was dying. Anyhow, good news for newbs, Linden Lab did the smart thing and brought in outside consultants for a fresh perspective on helping new users learn the ropes (or hopefully making the ropes a little easier to pull in the first place!). Score another point for Mark Kingdon.
Does Second Life need a bailout?
A build in Second Life didn’t last forever! Everybody panic!
Sociological Oddities
MIDDLE EAST: Virtual Muslim world bans drinking, sex
Ok, they’re trying to make a big deal of this, but the world in question looks like this:
I mean come on. Does this look like a world built for drinking and sex? It’s Muslim Habbo! (Article is otherwise fairly even-handed and informative.)
Dreaming Cyborg Dreams: Virtual Identity and Religious Experience
Article comes with a nice picture of an unfortunate player being crucified. (Can you imagine the uproar if this wasn’t a religious game and that was happening? I’m just saying…)
Couple falls virtually in love
Awwwww, isn’t that sweet?
OmniDate Working On Virtual Dating with Real World Ties
Well I guess it’s the logical progression.
Wife Divorcing Husband Over His Gay Dungeon Sex in Second Life
Of course.
