Posted in Business, Design, Virtual Communities on Jul 9th, 2008
Larry Dignan and Tom Steinert-Threlkeld’s Between the Lines blog on ZDNET had a posting today titled, Virtual World Tipping Point: Is there an Enterprise Use?, They point out Google’s recent entry (Lively introduced yesterday), Second Life’s quick rise to success, and IBM is working with their own virtual world engine designed for corporate use. They […]
Posted in Business, Design, Virtual Communities on Jul 9th, 2008
Google recently entered the virtual world market with Google Lively. Similar to other entrants, you can design your avatar, construct your own room, and interact with others.
Posted in Business, Design, History, Virtual Communities on May 30th, 2008
“Fans Resist End of Virtual Disneyland.” Wall Street Journal. 20 May 2008. Page B1. Reports Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom launched in 2005 as part of the 50th anniversary of Disneyland. The free game allowed users to create avatars and explore an interactive version of Disneyland. Now Disney wants to pull the plug. Some think to […]
Posted in Business, Design, Virtual Communities on May 30th, 2008
“South Korea’s Nexon Paves Way in Selling Virtual Gear for Free Games.” Wall Street Journal. 23 May 2008. Page B1. Reports Nexon Holdings is doing great in Korea with a free game called Kart Rider, The game is free, but users pay to customize vehicles and their avatars. Later this year, Nexon plans to release […]
Posted in Business, Design, Virtual Communities on Apr 11th, 2008
Disney previously launched a site young girls could use to build their own Fairy (DisneyFairies.com). Since then over 4.5 million fairy avatars have been built. Per a 19 Feb 2008 press release, Disney is now in process of opening an online world called Pixie Hollow (PixieHollow.com) in which young girls can actually fly around as […]
Posted in Business, Virtual Communities on Jan 25th, 2008
“Cheer Up, Ben: Your Economy Isn’t As Bad As This One” Wall Street Journal. 23 January 2008. Page A1. Not only are real banks struggling with sub-prime mortgage problems, Second Life is shutting down virtual banks that were failing to deliver high returns they had promised their depositors. All virtual banks (about a dozen) were […]
Posted in Business, Design, History, Plush Pets, Virtual Communities on Oct 9th, 2007
With everybody imaginable jumping in to follow Webkinz’s successful model of selling plush pets as tokens to enter an online community, Neopets has announced they will be creating a plush pet entry path to their virtual community as well. Is this the first case of digital reverse evolution? (Going from a virtual community to an […]
Posted in Business, Design, Plush Pets, Virtual Communities on Oct 8th, 2007
Emily Bryson York published a story titled The Hottest Thing in Kids Marketing? Imitating Webkinz on Advertising Age 8 Oct 2007. She opened with a quiz to guess where you would find a Webkiz toy, the answer was tossed aside and forgotten in the corner of the bedroom. Her article is right on the theme […]
Posted in Business, Design, Plush Pets, Virtual Communities on Oct 1st, 2007
Hasbro announced it will be entering the “Digital Plush Arena” with Virtual Interactive Pets (VIP)Â in a 24 Sept 2007 press release. Their already successful “Littlest Pet Shop” line will be launching five pets bound for the virtual world: a dog, cat, turtle, penguin, and a panda. The “VIP” will be launched in mid October […]
Posted in Business, Design, Plush Pets, Virtual Communities on Sep 18th, 2007
MGA Entertainment’s MyePets follows the Webkinz model. You buy a plush pet in a retail store, then go online to MyePets.com, log on using the secret number on your pet’s bone, then go to the adoption center, meet the virtual version of your plush pet, give it a name, decorate your own private room, then […]
