[Each day, Worlds in Motion will be taking a closer look at individual virtual worlds. We'll start with a nuts-and-bolts overview, then move on to an in-depth tour, to be followed up with a conclusion-- all with the aim of bringing you all the essential info and details on each world in the rapidly-developing virtual landscape.]

Let's take our first look today at Nicktropolis, the online playground for teens and 'tweens created by Nickelodeon.

[Each day, Worlds in Motion will be taking a closer look at individual virtual worlds. We'll start with a nuts-and-bolts overview, then move on to an in-depth tour, to be followed up with a conclusion-- all with the aim of bringing you all the essential info and details on each world in the rapidly-developing virtual landscape.]

Let's take an in-depth tour of Nicktropolis, Nickelodeon's online world for kids and 'tweens.

[Each day, Worlds in Motion will be taking a closer look at individual virtual worlds. We'll start with a nuts-and-bolts overview, then move on to an in-depth tour, to be followed up with a conclusion-- all with the aim of bringing you all the essential info and details on each world in the rapidly-developing virtual landscape.]

We spent the last couple of days in Nicktropolis, collecting blobs, playing minigames and exploring in Nickelodeon's online world for kids and 'tweens.

Our sister site, Gamasutra, ran an announcement Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami made at this week's Casual Connect conference in Seattle. According to Nickelodeon, it's committed to invest $100 million over the next two years in development, distribution and creation of casual gaming titles, sites and platforms.

According to the company, the investment is a part of MTV's strategy to secure a leading role in the gaming space -- including casual, console and handheld games, as well as related media, which includes virtual worlds. Of the initiatives announced, Nickelodeon also says it'll use some of the money to add new multiplayer games and tournaments to Nicktropolis.

The investment will also support the expansion of AddictingGames to include casual MMOGs with the introduction of AddictingWorlds. AddictingGames recently partnered with Habbo, adding another virtual world to its existing partnership with sister site Neopets. According to the article, increased emphasis will be placed on user-submitted games on the site, including more prominent upload capabilities and game-making engines.

Also announced was the upcoming transformation of Neopets into Neostudios, which will focus on developing new virtual world gaming experiences online while continuing to grow and evolve the existing ones. The first of these will launch at the end of 2008 with the goal of launching a new game every other year.

"Particularly in the kids' space, with more than 86% of kids 8 to 14 gaming online, we see great momentum for online casual gaming," said Zarghami. "This investment will not only benefit our audiences, but also our marketing and distribution partners."

Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group have stressed a continuing focus on virtual worlds, revealing three new products currently in development and promising additional growth for existing worlds Neopets and Nicktropolis.

Nickelodeon also revealed it is adding 1,600 games to their existing portfolio across its network of sites, in addition to other expanded gaming initiatives. It will also add new tools for users to build their own games, and add several demographic-focused sites. Presently, the company's site portfolio is comprised of Nick.com, Nicktropolis, NickArcade, TurboNick, Neopets.com, AddictingGames.com, The-N.com and Shockwave.com.

The company cites comScore statistics that show its sites collectively reach 20 million users per month, already hosting some 5,000 games among them. Ultimately, Nickelodeon says it will broaden its gaming presence to include a focus on multiplayer and community-based games.

Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group president Cyma Zarghami commented, "Our portfolio of digital brands is delivering fun and innovative gaming experiences for all of our audiences. Because our gaming sites complement and serve the same breadth of audiences as each of our linear channels, we are now offering game experiences that range from educational content, virtual worlds to casual games that are both property driven and totally original."

Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group has announced it plans to develop and produce additional virtual worlds to join its portfolio of online multiplayer games for kids.

The company plans to add to its existing Neopets and Nicktropolis properties with a world based on Nick's SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon, as well as other projects based around new IP such as working-titled Monkey World and a new "virtual destination" called Neopia.

According to the company, Neopia is in production and is scheduled to launch in the next year. All the new products will be developed out of Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group's Virtual World Studios, which focuses on developing virtual destinations for kids, teens, 'tweens and families each year, while building on existing ones.

Neopia will be built on existing play patterns established in Neopets, featuring multiplayer geared toward 'tweens but aimed at all-ages appeal. It will include games, a community, in-world chat, and customization, among other activities, and an in-depth storyline.

The new efforts join plans to add new games and areas within Nicktropolis, each centered around new and upcoming Nickelodeon television properties.

Executive VP of Digital Media Steve Youngwood commented, "For our audiences, virtual worlds are the convergence of gaming, entertainment and community online, and by announcing these new worlds, we are ensuring that our content pipeline is going to remain fresh and vibrant."

He added, "We are very fortunate to have a digital production studio that, like our linear animation studio in Burbank, will be dedicated to creating great new content experiences for our audiences both with our existing brands and properties and new, original ones."