Future & Pre-Beta Virtual Worlds
Posted by Izzy Neis on November 16, 2007
Okay… I’m trying to mock up a list of all these VW’s for tweens/twids that are not live yet, or exists in early Beta. Please add more in the comments, thanks!
- Bella Sera: Card game + virtual world based on horses/horse play
- MoshiMonsters: Monster virtual world based on clever gaming and monster care– easily transitions to mobile technology
- Club Pony Pals: Based on a book series about ponies, this world will be for the pony pet care
- Dizzywood: A creative, fantasy virtual world to create adventures and inspire
- Planet Cazmo: A virtual world based on gaming and MUSIC
- Freaky Creatures: A virtual world for boys regarding monster/creatures
- Build-a-Bear: Based on the popular brand, build your bear and play with it online in a virtual world. It’s LIVE now.
- FusionFall: Cartoon Network’s MMORG, based on Cartoon Network brands & exploring the worlds within the network (i’m looking forward to this!)
- Little Big Planet: Okay, okay– I know this will be a video game… but it’s community/world appeal are just too awesome to NOT mention.
- Lego Universe: It’s lego. It’s community. It’s gonna be amazing.
- Panwapa (it’s live, and been online longer than some previously mentioned): A preschool VW brought to the world by Sesame Street folks. It’s multicultural, it’s unique, it’s going to be the next big VW phase in like 1 year (preschool/kid VW’s)
- Adventure Rock: The CBBC/BBC’s robot-y virtual world
- Zibbies: A product based VW (dolls that kinda look like a mix of webkinz & Beanie Babies but with rubbery spikes for hair on their heads). Currently live in early beta.
- Pirates of the Caribbean Online: Went live a little over a week ago– this pirate existence is a downloadable app (like WOW) and currently in Beta. I love it.
- Littlest Pet Shop: Also, currently in Beta– this is kinda an exclusive experience, as they products (with the much needed code to play) are hard to get hands on. But you can demo free. No community yet.
- Wowbotz: An outerspace-feeling VW in beta-live for “preschoolers” I more or less categorize it for kids/twids.
- Mystikatz Kutties: A Virtual World for girls who like dolls dressed like colorful gypsies. Like it’s brother site “Wowbotz”, this is categorized as for “preschoolers” but I’d stick it in the kids/twids boxes.
- Magi-Nation: Based on a TV show and a trading card game, this virtual world will cater to the fantasy tweens/kids who might also enjoy shows like Yo-Gi-Oh and Pokemon and Chaotic.
- Disney’s Cars: A virtual world built on the Disney movie “Cars”.
- Mini Match: From Cartoon Network comes a MMO for casual gamers, and world roamers. It’s in UBER early beta… UBER. But so far– you can set up your avatar (promising animation, ugly avatar face/hair but that can change?, the clothing layering options = very smart indeed), but from my experience you can’t play yet. Cartoon Network seems to be treading lightly in this space– and with a good brain on their shoulders
- Pixie Hallow: Not yet in LIVE beta… but will be amazing! Loads of great rumors about this one… It’s Disney’s Fairies VW.
- T-Works: Looney Toon Virtual World
- Konstruction Zone: A new (pre-beta) VW based on cute construction characters– encourages online playtime between parents and kids.
- Papermint: another virtual world for kids– 2D art, pre-Beta (from the looks of it).
- Hello Kitty World: Not live yet, their pre-beta site offers a decent sneak peek of elements that will be a part of the world. I’m interested to find out what “in game telepathy” is– as they say in their introductory page. It’s all the bright happy bumblegum colors you come to expect from HK. I’m pumped to see what HK brings to the table.
- I’m not sure what the safety is on this yet– Sanrio Town is NOT for U13… and the HK world will tie in somehow with the pre-existing Sanrio Town community platform. So, stay tuned….
- I’m not sure what the safety is on this yet– Sanrio Town is NOT for U13… and the HK world will tie in somehow with the pre-existing Sanrio Town community platform. So, stay tuned….
- Dragon Play: It’s a medieval world for dragon play (like the name, clever, lol).
- Chaotic: A virtual worldish(?) experience attached to collectible card-play
- Ice Age: An MMO based upon the two movies (and third to come) slated for 2009
- Minyanland: A virtual environment where kids can learn about money, banking, and managing responsibilities while gaining a virtual life. Has parent/chore metagame, etc. Based on the finance site Minyanville.com
- Planet V-Tech: described as an educational virtual world for 5+
- Earth Eternal: An MMO with educational elements that can be accessed through social networking
- Speed Racer: A virtual world (with toy tie-ins) for the upcoming movie franchise
- Web wilds: A virtual environment to correlate with the puppet-dolls.
- Hot Wheels: A virtual world to correlate with the toy-cars.
- Madagascar: A virtual world to correspond with their upcoming sequel movie.
- Seapals: A product tie-in with VW, like it’s sister product Shining Stars. (It’s gotten more PR than Shining Stars, which has been live for quite some time now– it could be interesting!)
- MyLife: An avatar/world combination toy for girls to build and share profiles (Playmates toys)
- Beanie Babies 2.0: A virtual world - pet product combo. Codes. Unlock. Dolls. Yadda.
- Guppylife: An MMO for girls not yet released, and very little info.
- Lola’s World: It’s a companion community with vw-elements for tween girls based on the Lola, Think Pink, books. It launches in April 08.
- Tronji: An MMO game based around the Tronji world is currently in development to be released alongside the TV show.
- Tech Deck Live: A Virtual world skate part for tweens who like skateboarding. Subscription based. Tech Deck is a toy product (finger skateboards).
- Dinokids: An MMO (looks just like Maplestory but with dinos) for tween/kids.
- Treetures: A VW with stuffy product tie in (Russ)
- Green: A future virtual world promoting green initiatives. Not live yet, very hush - hush.
- Kaimira MMO: BBC announced their desire to create a MMO around the Kaimira Trilogy, a book series from Star Farm Productions.
- KidsWB: Warner Bros platform site meshed with Virtual worlds??? Details still coming through the pipeline.
- DC HeroZone: Another virtual world from WB that follows comics & heroes
- WarnerZone: Another Warner Bros stealth-hush hush VW coming summer ‘08.
- Zoopri: A virtual world for tweens, not live yet.
- Dinosaur Junction: Another virtual world for kids based on dinos with some educational values.
- JumpStart Advanced Preschool World: a VW for the 3-5 set. Software first, world later.
BAH! I know I’m forgetting a ton– curse you, brain cloud (reference: “Joe Versus the Volcano”). Any help here? I’ll keep adding as they come.
Also for those VW researchers/explorers, here are a few oldie but goody links:
November 16, 2007 at 8:50 pm
Hi Izzy! Can you link these? Would love to add any I don’t have to my directory….
November 16, 2007 at 9:08 pm
There ya go, Anastasia!
I’m still pondering more– their names are stuck in the corners of my brain, and my multi-tasking ways are making me low on bandwidth. Hopefully the dozen or so more i’m missing will pop up by the end of the day/weekend… if not, maybe some kind peeps out there can toss ‘em my way.
Happy Days,
iz
November 26, 2007 at 7:58 am
I still owe you a Bella Sara post! (not to mention the HSM2 tweens one, sheesh, old news now!)
Anyway, excellent list, Izzi, want to do a guest editorial for us about this on Shaping Youth? I’m going to try to interview Barry at Global Kids soon so will ask him his two cents on upcoming virtual learning/worlds too, ‘cuz you’re right, I keep thinking I’ve ‘heard of some’in the works that I can’t place my synapses upon.
Hope the new position is grand!
January 5, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Hee oh wait nevermind. I see your comment there.
January 16, 2008 at 3:34 am
dont forget
http://www.dragonplay.us
January 17, 2008 at 4:45 pm
[...] For a look at other upcoming tween virtual worlds, check out Izzy Neis’ blog entry here. [...]
January 20, 2008 at 12:44 am
are you a MOD on any of these games????????????
do you no any games w/ beta item besiedes DW? on this list
February 15, 2008 at 1:23 am
I really hope it is availible to play soon.
The Hello Kitty game, I mean.
x)
February 29, 2008 at 4:41 am
I saw the SeaPals thing at Toy Fair. It looked amazing. I am not sure when it comes out, but the packaging was great and the site looked great and it had some cool educational stuff.
March 7, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Izzy, my e-mail’s been down at Shaping Youth and my tech traumas have precluded me from continuing our VW conversations but let’s slate something for next week? egad…the time is flying by!
Hoping the cavalry will come to my aid by this afternoon (big bucks, but hey, I need system stability!) as I’m tired of having Symantec systems ‘control’ my computer from afar in an attempt to find the glitch.
In short…I have a researcher from Tufts willing to do some recon for me in-game/in-world and want to discuss your POV on where I should send her first for deconstruction/analysis (as you know, I’m looking into setting up a ‘living lab’ in VW form like in DW to test some positive behavioral cues on the tween/media literacy front) ttys! (or via Skype when this computer stabilizes!) —Amy
March 11, 2008 at 1:33 am
Here’s another one that just went live with nine new games:
http://www.zookazoo.com/
Descriptor below from Michael Carter, Founder: “We are fathers and mothers who are creating ZooKazoo for our children and grandchildren and yours…We are building the finest online world we can as a safe place for them to hang out, play creatively, and learn to make their world a better place. We bring a wealth of skills, experience, and technologies to that end. We will check with you before we allow them to enter ZooKazoo and will give you the opportunity to determine how they can best participate in it, etc. etc.”
April 8, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Tootsville.com!! check it out…one of my fav new sites for kids. safe, good games, great graphics!