• In short: Combining a virtual environment and a social network, Kaneva,
• URL: http://www.kaneva.com
• Maintained by: Kaneva, Inc. since 2004
• Price: Free access
• Kaneva System Requirements:  Windows XP or Vista, 515 MB hard drive space, 512 MB RAM, high-speed internet, Nvidia 5200/ATI X700 series graphics card or better
•  Platforms supported: PC

Kaneva Overview

Kaneva is touted as a place for 3D friends and good times.  You can meet new people and hang out, go shopping for virtual clothes and accessories, customize a 3D home, open your own 3D dance club, among other things. 

Kaneva, inc. is a privately owned Atlanta-based company.  Founded in 2004 by Christopher Klaus and Greg Frame, Kaneva supports 2D web browsing, social networking features, and the ability to share media.

History 

Kaneva originally started as a product to help game developers build games.   The first version of Kaneva’s game platform was released in late 2004, allowing game developers to produce games.  Soon thereafter, Kaneva decided to use its own technology to develop a virtual environment that combined a 3D world, video sharing, and aspects of social networking.  In 2005, Kaneva started development on the Kaneva virtual world, which was ultimately released into beta in mid 2006.

Kaneva takes place in a modern-day setting.  It boasts a world “full of real friends and good times” and a “a more human way to connect with friends online.”

Members create avatars, digital version of themselves, and gets their own 3D space called a Kaneva City Loft.  Lofts can be customized, decorated, and furnished.  Videos, photos, music, and games can be watched on 3D televisions.  Friends can come hang out in the 3D home or one can use one of Kaneva’s public spaces to chat syncronously.  Users can dance, shop for the latest fashions, play games, watch TV and movies, and explore.

Kaneva seems to target teens.

Kaneva Screenshots

Kaneva Resources

Kaneva Official Site

Kaneva Logo and screenshots are ©2007 KANEVA, INC. All Rights Reserved. The Virtual World of Kaneva is a trademark of Kaneva, Inc.

• In short: A world targeted for teenagers featuring customizable 2D avatars, dorm rooms and other locations, and games to earn Zbucks.
• URL: http://www.zwinky.com/
• Maintained by: IAC Search and Media since April 2007.
• Price: Free
• Zwinktopia System Requirements: Flash-supported browser

Zwinktopia Overview

IAC first launched Zwinky in June 2006, a tool that allows teenagers to create and share 2D avatars, emoticons, cursor icons, and other items for teenagers to use on a blog or MySpace profile. After gaining over 4.7 million users, the company released Zwinktopia, a persistent world that provides over 28 unique locations (such as the beach, colleges, and bowling alleys) and several games and activities, including chat, shopping, events, and hanging out in customized dorm rooms. By playing these games, Zwinktopia users can also earn Zbucks, Zwinktopia’s unit of virtual currency, which they can use to purchase clothing, furniture, and various other items.

Compared to other virtual worlds, Zwinktopia is relatively unspectacular in terms of graphics or immersion. Whether it’s clever marketing, “tween baiting,” or teen branding genius, leveraged their growth substantially by first familiarizing kids with their avatar site Zwinky through aggressive marketing.Zwinky’s appeal is largely based upon these easy drag and drop customizable avatars that can be exported and used elsewhere. Unlike many other virtual environments, Zwinktopia avatars are not limited to in-world use. Avatars can be placed on blogs, websites, and social networking sites and so they are transportable all over the Web.

Some have expressed concern over some aspects of Zwinktopia. There is no age verification process and Zwinktopia does not filter language, personal details, or sexually explicit comments. Zwinktopia seems to be particularly appealing for middle school teenagers who may feel that they’ve “outgrown” some of the more protected hubs (e.g. the active filtering mechanism built into virtual worlds like Club Penguin) in pursuit of more freedom and social interaction. Zwinktopia is yet another virtual environment in the increasingly crowded space for teens.

Zwinktopia Screenshots

Zwinktopia Resources

• IAC Launches Zwinktopia at Peak of Virtual Worlds Hype, article at TechCrunch.com

• In short: A rapidly growing Barbie-themed world where girls shop for fashion, music, chat, design rooms, and play games.
• URL: http://www.barbiegirls.com
• Maintained by: Mattel since 2007
• Price: Free access, virtual items cost money
• Barbie Girls system requirements
• Platforms supported: PC

Barbie Girls Overview

Mattel, the nation’s top toymaker, released a relatively new virtual world called Barbie Girls, that targets 7 to 12 year old girls. An attempt to blend girls’ love of fashion, music, and the Web, there is much to do. Girls can create their own virtual characters, adopt virtual pets, chat with others, play games and watch Barbie themed videos, design their own room, shop with “B Bucks”, and try on fashionable clothes at a cyber mall. A Barbie-inspired handheld MP3 music device (optional, about $59.99) also interacts with the website.

Like other virtual environments designed for kids, Barbie Girl has measures to protect the safety of children. The website features word filters to block the exchange of personal information such as names, phone numbers, and addresses. Girls also can lock or allow access to their virtual room to others. A more personal chat is available to those who both have a Barbie Girl device and who have physically connected their devices into a friend’s computer docking station.

Barbie Girls has seen amazing growth since its launch; it hit the 3 million users just in its first 60 days and has been growing at the rate of 50,000 new users a day, figures which will threaten the likes of Second Life and even World of Warcraft. Some have observed that the amazing adoption of Barbie Girls sends a clear message: that virtual worlds are going mainstream and that the user base is dramatically shifting from being predominantly male to majority female. As those playing Barbie Girls grow into adults, this will lead to interesting changes as the next generation of online gaming and virtual world users will not be dominated by men.

Competitors include Zwinktopia, Habbo Hotel, Webkins, Neopets, and Club Penguin, among others.

Barbie Girls Screenshots

Barbie Girls Resources

• Barbie Girls Official Website

• In short: People live virtual lives in a 3D world, socializing, developing skills, taking on jobs, earning wealth, and decorating homes.
• URL: http://www.thesimsonline.com
• Maintained by: Electronic Arts since December 2002
• Price: Free 14 day trial, then $9.95 a month
• The Sims Online system requirements
• Platforms supported: PC

The Sims Online Overview

The Sims Online, created by Will Wright of SimCity fame, is an online massively multiplayer virtual world where the Sims (avatars) are controlled by real people. One can play anyone he or she chooses, and each person gets virtual land. With this virtual land, one can build a house, coffee bar, museum, dance club, or anything else imaginable. Sims can do many things; they can go exploring the vast user-created world consisting of about thirteen cities, socialize, meet new friends, and develop power, wealth, reputation and social standing. They also have very human qualities, such as the need to sleep, eat, and hang out with people.

Although there are no ultimate objectives, direct guidelines, or quest-like tasks that must be done, Sims tend to develop skills (mechanical, charisma, cooking, body, creativity, and logic), work as an employee, and earn “simoleans”, the in-world currency. By earning enough simoleans, one can purchase all sorts of household items. The Sims Online has lots of visually appealing locations and items to marvel, and people tend to be creative with the way they decorate their virtual homes.

The game incorporates text chat, instant messaging and a wide variety of gestures for communication.

Most of the residents of this virtual environment seem to be in their teens and twenties. The Sims Online has a free limited trial, and then it costs $9.95 per month.

The Sims Online Screenshots

The Sims Online Resources

• Free limited trial of the Sims Online

• In short: A huge Anime-themed forum with customizable avatars, Flash-based games, guilds, and various collectibles for purchase.
• URL: http://www.gaiaonline.com
• Maintained by: Gaia Interactive since Feb. 2003
• Price: Free to join
• Gaia Online system requirements: Flash-supported Web browser
• Platforms supported: PC and Mac

Gaia Online Overview

Gaia Online is a Anime-themed forums website that is considered “the largest forum on the Internet,” with allegedly over one million posts being made each day. There are over 2.5 million users per month, consisting mainly of teenagers. Forum participants, known as Gaians, have an avatar which they can customize with a variety of items that can be purchased using Gaia Online’s virtual currency, known as Gaia Gold. Gaia Gold can be earned by playing Flash-based games (cards, fishing, word games, among others), posting on the forums, or simply by browsing the website. Avatars can hold items, be posed in multiple ways, and can wear different kinds of clothes. Other items for purchase include monthly collectibles and furniture for one’s Gaia Home. Like-minded folks who are interested in similar interests can create or join guilds, which can be public, private, or hidden.

Gaia Online Screenshots

Gaia Online Resources

• Gaia Online Official Website