Virtual Worlds Forum

Yes, that old chestnut again. It might seem strange to be debating the definition of a virtual world compared to an MMO, at a time when the boundaries between the two are blurring more than ever. Nevertheless, the debate reared its head at the Digital Hollywood Game Power event last week at CES. Trion World Network's Dr Lars Buttler was in no doubt that it's all about the money: "It's hard to monetize a park, but it's far easier to monetize a theme park" (with virtual worlds being parks, and MMOs being theme parks). Meanwhile, Turbine's Rob Ferrari made the distinction that since players pay monthly subscription fees for MMOs, the developers have a responsibility to create content and maintain the experience, whereas in virtual worlds, this is down to the users themselves. I think increasingly, such distinctions will become less relevant, as virtual worlds incorporate more game elements - either as self-contained areas, or general features. The commercial argument will also be altered as more MMOs become free-to-play and funded by item sales or advertising, although it's clear there is a distinction between worlds/MMOs controlled by developers, and more sandbox-style affairs where the user is in charge. And of course, we may see more sandbox MMOs in the future too. It's all fluid, in short. Which is why this industry (or these industries, if we're still talking separation) is so interesting. MPOGD's report of the CES panel is worth reading, as it also touches on advertising, globalisation / localisation, and secondary item markets. Link is below. (via MPOGD)