Virtual WorldsReport: In-Game Currency is Most Popular Virtual Item to SellAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 28, 2009 - 11:16am.
Santa Clara,
Calif. - Nearly one-third (31%)
of those who purchased virtual goods over the past year also sold virtual
goods, with in-game virtual currency being the most frequently sold item from
player to player, according to a report from market research firm VGMarket and
PlaySpan, an operator of virtual goods marketplaces.
tags: Games | Social Networking | Reports | Virtual Currency | Research | Virtual Worlds | Virtual Items | PlaySpan | VGMarket |
MySpace Integrates Meez Virtual World for TeensAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 21, 2009 - 10:55am.
Los Angeles
- News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) MySpace has signed a deal with teen-focused virtual world Meez,
to integrate the Java-based 3D environment into its own website. A large number
of Meez' 13 million teenaged, predominantly female members are active MySpace
users, according to the company. The integration will allow Meez users to
import their 3D avatars, and play online games and congregate in a
MySpace-based version of the virtual world. It will also allow Meez users to
purchase virtual goods with the company's Coinz virtual currency.
Report: U.S. Virtual Goods Market to Hit $1 Billion This YearAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2009 - 11:06am.
San Francisco - The U.S.
market for virtual goods -- including items in online games, virtual worlds and
social network sites -- is expected to reach $1 billion this year, according to
a report published by Inside Virtual Goods and the Virtual Goods Summit.
tags: Games | Social Networking | Reports | Research | Virtual Worlds | MMOG | Virtual Items | Inside Virtual Goods |
"Second Life" Parent Linden Lab Sued by Virtual Sex Items MakerAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 18, 2009 - 11:07am.
San Francisco
- Linden Lab, operators of the "Second Life" virtual world, have been
sued in federal court by a maker of adult-themed virtual items for copyright
and trademark infringement, Wired.com reported.
tags: Law | Lawsuits | Linden Lab | DMCA | Copyright | Second Life | Virtual Worlds | Virtual Items | Eros LLC | Trakemarks | SexGen |
InXpo Raises $9 Million for Corporate Virtual EventsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 14, 2009 - 8:07am.
Chicago
- InXpo, a provider of privately-branded virtual events and virtual business
communities, has raised $9 million in its first round of funding, led by
Highland Capital Partners.
Second Life Adds Real-World Trademark Law to Virtual WorldAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on August 12, 2009 - 8:25pm.
San Francisco - As real-world brands vie for a piece of its
$450 million market for virtual goods, Linden Lab, the company that operates
the "Second Life" online virtual world, has instituted new rules that
prohibit the sale of counterfeit virtual items. "The goal of these
guidelines is to provide clear guidance on listing practices that are not
allowed because they can be misleading for shoppers and can lead to
infringement of brand owners' intellectual property," wrote Pink Linden,
Second Life's head of marketplaces.
Masher Media Lands $300K to Develop Kids' Virtual WorldAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on August 11, 2009 - 6:57am.
Calabasas,
Calif. - Masher Media, the
developer of a virtual world aimed at children, announced that it has raised
$300,000 in seed funding from Tech Coast Angels, adding that the round will be
held open for the next month with an eye toward raising a total of $500,000.
Habbo Parent Co. Sulake Names Mika Salmi as ChairmanAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on August 6, 2009 - 10:41am.
Helsinki,
Finland -
Sulake, the parent company of teen social network and virtual world Habbo,
announced on Thursday that it has named MTV global digital media head
Mika Salmi as chairman of the company. Before his stint at MTV, Salmi founded
Atom Entertainment, which was acquired by Viacom (NYSE: VIA) in 2006.
Survey: 12% of Online Americans Buying Virtual GoodsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on July 31, 2009 - 4:36am.
New York - With the U.S. now accounting for nearly a quarter
of the $1 billion market for virtual goods, 12% of online Americans say they have
purchased virtual goods in the past year, for use in an online game, virtual
world or social networks, according to a report from market research firm Frank
N. Magid Associates and micropayments firm PlaySpan.
tags: Games | Social Networking | Reports | Research | Virtual Worlds | Frank N. Magid Associates | PlaySpan |
Mottola Company Teams With Planet Cazmo on Virtual ConcertsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on July 22, 2009 - 11:50am.
New York - Planet Cazmo, an online virtual world for 'tweens
and teens, on Wednesday announced a partnership with record industry veteran
Tommy Mottola's The Mottola Company, to support Cazmo's virtual concert series
and other branded content initiatives. The companies will "work together
to secure strategic partnerships with major music industry and branded
properties which will bring celebrity content into the virtual world in the
form of virtual goods via microtransactions." Cazmo, which has hosted
virtual concerts featuring artists including Soulja Boy, Ciara and Jordin
Sparks, also said that it has signed Island Def Jam and The Jive Label Group as
new label partners for the concert series.
tags: Marketing | Music | Virtual Worlds | Island Def Jam | Planet Cazmo | Tommy Mottola | The Mottola Company | Jive Label Group |
ProtonMedia Gets $2.5 Million for Corporate Virtual WorldsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on July 13, 2009 - 11:17am.
Lansdale,
Penn. - ProtonMedia, a provider
of virtual world technology for businesses, has raised $2.5 million in new
venture capital financing, PaidContent reported, citing an SEC filing.
Twinity Lands $6.26 Million for Virtual City RecreationsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on July 7, 2009 - 5:58am.
Berlin
- Metaversum, the operator of a virtual world called Twinity that recreates
real-world cities and other locations, has raised $6.26 million in a new round
of funding, TechCrunch reported.
Report: Virtual Worlds to Grow at 23% Through 2015Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 16, 2009 - 10:19am.
Boston - Virtual worlds are expected to grow at a compound annual growth
rate of 23% from 2009 through 20015, according to a report from market research
firm Strategy Analytics.
"Second Life" Plans Separate 'Virtual Continent' for Adult ContentAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 22, 2009 - 12:46pm.
San Francisco
- Linden Lab plans later this year to introduce a separate
"continent" within its virtual world, "Second Life,"
earmarked for adult content and adult-themed activities, CNET News.com
reported. The site is already limited to those over the age of 18, but the new
adult area will feature stricter age verification via credit card information,
or Linden Labs' own filtering system.
TASER Sues Over Virtual Stun Guns in "Second Life"Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 21, 2009 - 1:42pm.
Los Angeles
- The makers of the TASER line of stun guns have filed a trademark infringement
lawsuit against Linden Lab, operators of the virtual world "Second
Life," over the sale of virtual stun guns, GamePolitics reported. The suit
also alleges damage to the TASER brand from association with virtual item
sellers that also trade in virtual explicit images and virtual drugs.
PlaySpan Acquires Micropayments Firm Spare ChangeAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 21, 2009 - 7:48am.
San Francisco
- PlaySpan, a provider of micropayment processing for online games, virtual
worlds and social networks, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Spare
Change, a provider of micropayment services on social networks.
Tribal Nova Lands $2.5M for Virtual Worlds, Games for KidsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 16, 2009 - 7:40am.
Montreal
- Tribal Nova, a developer of family-friendly virtual worlds and educational
games, announced on Thursday that it has raised $2.5 million in new financing,
from iNovia Capital and ID Capital.
Big Stage Raises $2.7 Million for 3D Avatar SoftwareAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 14, 2009 - 8:06am.
Los Angeles
- Big Stage Entertainment, a developer of 3D facial avatar creation technology,
said on Tuesday that it has secured an additional $2.7 million in second round
funding, from Mission Ventures, Selby Ventures and TechCoast Angels.
tags: Games | Deals | VC | 3D | Virtual Worlds | Mission Ventures | Big Stage Entertainment | Selby Venturues | TechCoast Angels |
Worlds.com to Sue Activision if Virtual World Patent UpheldAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on March 12, 2009 - 9:58am.
New York
- Worlds.com, a developer of virtual worlds and holder of various patents on
related technologies, said it plans to filed patent claims against "World
of Warcraft" publisher Activision Blizzard (NASD: ATVI) and "Second Life"
creator Linden Labs, should it succeed in a current case against NCsoft,
Silicon Alley Insider reported.
tags: Law | Lawsuits | Linden Lab | Patents | Activision | Second Life | World of Warcraft | Virtual Worlds | Worlds.com | Thom Kidrin |
Report: 200 Virtual Worlds for Kids Are Live or In DevelopmentAuthored by Jay Baage on January 29, 2009 - 10:21am.
New York - There are now over 200 youth-oriented virtual worlds live, planned, or in active development, according to a new report by Show Initiative, LLC, a provider of trade events and media
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