So what’s the deal?

First of all– many apologies for being MIA for the last two/three weeks.  It takes a grand amount of time & brain space to uproot from the midwest and move to Los Angeles.  Luckily I have a fab family, fantastic friends, and a cool new roomie to make the transition somewhat seamless.

So.  Here I am at SIX DEGREES GAMES in Marina Del Rey, California and I LOVE this place (i live 6 minutes from where I work… how awesome is that?).  A lot of what I’m doing now is a bit stealth at the moment (ooo so uber-secretive…).  Basically I can share these words: “tweens”, “virtual worlds”, “brands”, and “gaming”  <–You color in the blanks and I’ll keep a grin on my face.  SDG is giving me a LOT of elbow room and faith in helping to shape what they’re creating and that is supremo. 

Never fear– the blog won’t change.  I will continue rambling about cartoons, books, toys, games, etc etc.  Why?  ‘Cos that’s what I do.   

p.s. On yet another personal note: does anyone know of a youth soccer team in Santa Monica/Marina Del Rey/etc area that needs an assistant soccer coach?  I think I wanna jump back into that too. 

p.p.s. I missed ya’ll.  I’ve been going stir crazy so far from the blog!!! 

Kids Show Promise in Leading Double Lives!

Latest report from comScore (see graph) reveals that the second world concept is fully dominated by websites dedicated to kids. It seems that kids unlike adults are very good partners to the idea of alternative identities and cultures. I think kids perceive second worlds as games platforms which offer some more reality features.
For adults second world’s concept takes an opposite direction. It provides a visualized experience with almost no resemblance to your reality: you can fly all around, change customs as you desire, and meet unexpected partners to travel with. It offers designers a rich playground to construct on. It offers marketers a chance to provide their consumers with an innovative experience with their brand. Once it will combine an option to take your avatar (takes a while to build one) with you where ever you go, it might give you good reason to put efforts in one.
That been said, I think many of you would agree that second worlds do hold a great potential but still something seems to be missing. To understand why this potential is yet to be fulfilled, let us view second worlds through social networks and consumers oriented platforms.Second worlds as social networks:
While most online adults are highly aware of Second Life, I wonder what “real” values it can offer them. Current online interactions serve adults as an alternative communication models. Social networks are getting stronger and stronger, providing new opportunities for friendships one can not create off line. It is easy for grownups to conceptualize platforms which can provide the real “you” with endless communications opportunities. To serve as social networks, Second worlds need to carry some real grounds for adults to connect with. It should provide an easy bridge to cross between worlds. Downloading software (as required in Second Life) isn’t my idea for a bridge easy to be crossed.

Second world for marketers:

Leading companies use second worlds as a way to promote sales while masking their intention. Shopping in second worlds insures an experience you can not provide in amazon. But will consumers participate?
Online shopping platforms provides the consumer with an option that lacked offline: being able conduct a well organized, rational shopping which includes product and price comparison, combined with product information and consumer reviews.
Will consumers give up it all up for an experience?
Fact is, marketers who had rushed to establish a presence in the three-dimensional online computer game are beginning to look elsewhere. That’s another bridge needed to be developed: providing consumers with a virtual experience that will eventually meet consumer habits. As to advertising on second worlds – advertisers should learn how to interact without interfering.

Bottom line:
Second worlds platform are great playgrounds. For them to reach real success, they need to be reminded what we adults do online.

http://www.trendsspotting.com/blog/www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2007/10/10/second_life_ibm_in_open_borders_for_virtual_worlds/

Thought it was worth passing along

3D experience in Facebook?

Active Worlds Embeds 3D Worlds in Facebook

Active Worlds announced today that they had launched the “Active Worlds 3D Avatar and World Explorer” application, allowing companies and developers to build virtual worlds on the Facebook platform. The company says the application is based on Internet Explorer and ActiveX from Microsoft to build on existing standards and to allow certain elements of the virtual worlds to interact with more traditional websites and Web 2.0 applications. “Since our Active Worlds technology continues to be standards driven, we feel this release sets a new milestone on 3D Internet implementation,” said JP McCormick, chairman of Active Worlds, “The push is on for interoperability and a set of standards which will drive Virtual World technology into the future. We believe that many of these already exist. By continuing to enhance our already standards driven application we greatly increase our value to e- commerce, education, entertainment, and social networking sites, as well as our core business with Fortune 500 companies.”

http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2007/10/active-worlds-e.html

There’s more to that article if you click the link.  I just found the general concept to me intriguing.  I’m not really into posting much about facebook here (since my target demo isn’t really about the facebook yet), but still– 3D options for co’s to share?  Nice. 

Ten great community to mobile co’s to watch

Who’s Who in Mobile Worlds: 10 Plays to Watch

Obviously mobile tie ins for virtual worlds are a big deal. From a marketer’s perspective, the best things about virtual worlds–their immersive, tight communities–suddenly become all pervasive. From a user’s stand point, well, it’s pretty much the same.  While the Yankee Group’s recent study has had its math called into question, its argument that Anywhere Consumers will drive the future is still a compelling one. “Companies that provide remote access—through mobile devices or other means—to their web experience will have a greater impact than pc-centric companies,” said Senior Analyst Christopher Collins. With companies from Sony and Microsoft to third-party hackers in Second Life looking at ways to give users another screen to head into the world on, it looks like consumers will have plenty of options. We present a round up of the major plays being made.

http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2007/10/whos-who-in-mob.html

Check out that list.  Very interesting.  And congrats Moshi Monsters!!!  #9??? Brilliant!  If you don’t know about Moshi Monsters yet, check ‘em out.  Very nice people there (out of London) with grand ideas for a virtual world.  Can’t wait to review them when they pop up live.

 

p.s. I’M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK