Parks Associates: Virtual Worlds to Reach 33 Million Users in 2013
Market research and consulting company Parks Associates has just released details of their new report, Virtual Worlds: the Internet of Avatars, and the main revelation is that the industry is to see incredible growth within the next five years -- reaching 33 million registered users by 2013.
According to their announcement, the report from Parks Associates details "the evolution of the virtual world value chain, profiles leading companies, examines industry and consumer trends and dynamics, forecasts market growth, and offers recommendations to large media companies, technology companies, consumer brands, marketers, and Internet companies."
Explaining the report, Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai, Director, Digital Media and Gaming, Parks Associates said "3D virtual world platform companies, world operators, and full-service agencies form the core of the virtual world ecosystem, providing services to consumers, media companies, advertisers, and enterprises, but content and application developers and service providers are becoming increasingly important.”
“Without appealing content and applications, virtual worlds are nothing but empty shopping malls,” Cai continued. “The industry needs to move beyond its obsession with user-generated content and make 3D virtual worlds more interesting to average consumers.”
Comments
No, user generated content is the life blood of the media age - 'provided content' and 'portals' is a characteristic of the information age. We are beyond that. The issue now surrounds theory of 'connectivism' - where the connection, the network, the learning and the experience is informal and not obvious. Media barons would like to see 'content' is terms they recognise, as that is their terms of reference. This is why they don't understand how to go about making money from 'user content' - the content is there - its in conversation, shared interests and social networks. There is no such thing as an average consumer, we are all individuals and that is the point that has been missed. The nature of connected intelligence negates all prior notions of 'average'.
Good luck with the marketing.
Posted by: Dean Groom | October 14, 2008 5:52 PM