Numedeon Opens SportsBLOX - Adult, Sports-Themed Virtual World

Numedeon, the company behind kids world Whyville, reported back in September that it would be expanding to operate new worlds for different audiences. The first launched quietly into private beta last month and, it seems, went public yesterday. SportsBLOX is "the first vertical interest virtual world catering to sports fans of all types." And while it's created on the same Web-based platform as Whyville, it has a very different look and tone. It looks like it's probably still developing, though, with only limited customization options for avatars and the FAQ promises that "We're just getting started.  In the coming weeks, we'll be adding games, celebrity shows, and, since we're a virtual world, many more places, ways to find people, and ways to have that great sports debate with sports fans from all over the world."

For now, though, there's already a March Madness basketball brackets tournament and a couple of locales to visit--bars, though, are restricted to users over 21. I didn't see anyone else online, but, then again, it's the middle of the day in a soft-launched beta.

Future plans also include BLOXbux and the SportsBLOX bank for virtual goods and special events with real money being used for premium memberships as well as virtual goods.

Just to cement the sports theme, users will also all be assigned BLOXranks based on BLOXreps based on BLOXrank Points (BrPs or "burps") by playing BLOXtrivia and BLOXfutures games or earning a thumbs up from other BLOXheads.

"If you build up your BLOXrank, you'll earn VIP privileges, such as admission to VIP-only events," explains the FAQ. One perk, it seems, is that each week the top-ranked users will host their own sports shows.  "Plus, you'll find that people want to talk to YOU!"

While SportsBLOX will certainly look better after more development, a quick IM survey of my sports-loving, but distinctly non-technical friends saw a fair amount of interested--possibly the first time any  of them have been willing to discuss what I do during the day.

Their top requests: the ability to actually watch games live, or at least highlights, with friends and a bars themed around teams other than the Steelers.

Ed. Note: Numedeon executives will be speaking at Virtual Worlds 2008 in 2 weeks in NYC.