With today's high-profile Byron Review in the UK, looking at children's use of the internet and games, I thought it would be instructive to look back through this blog's archives, and pick out some of the new virtual worlds and MMOs that have been announced this year, targeting teens and tweens. It's not an exhaustive list - just the ones we've covered - but the fact that there are 13 - not far off one a week - shows how this area is exploding. Read on for the list, and links to our coverage of each one.
Lola’s Land. Literary virtual world from publisher HarperCollins, based on one of its popular fictional characters. More info
Planet Cazmo. Virtual world for teens and tweens, from online entertainment studio Pileated Pictures. More info
VizWoz. UK-based 2D world targeting teenagers. More info
FusionFall. MMO aimed at 8-14 year-olds, from The Cartoon Network. More info
Hello Kitty MMOG. Massively multiplayer game based on the wildly popular cutesy cartoon cat from Japan. More info
Beanie Babes 2.0. Virtual world from Ty Inc, based on its popular range of plush toys. More info
Creebies. Mobile-based virtual world launching on Nokia’s N-Gage platform, offering a Neopets-style mix of virtual pets and mini-games. More info
Tech Deck Live. Skateboarding-themed world launching in April from Spinmaster, to promote its range of Tech Deck finger skateboards. More info
Planet VTech. Virtual world for over-5s announced by edutech firm VTech earlier this year. More info
EA-Land. Not strictly for kids, but this relaunch of The Sims Online is tailor-made for a younger audience. More info
HandiLand. Launched by US firm Handipoints, with the aim of teaching kids “the value of savings and work”. More info
Miss Bimbo. UK-based virtual world for teenage girls that’s caused controversy by allowing them to buy boob jobs for their avatars. More info
Fluid Entertainment MMO (name tbc). California firm Fluid raised $3.2m to fund its planned new MMO for kids, with an eco-friendly theme. More info
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