Virtual Worlds News

PlaySpan and PBS Team Up

Following up last weeks news of expansion into Turkey and Brazil, PlaySpan is in the news again, inking a deal with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and its subbrands PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS PLAY! to distribute a co-branded Ultimate Game Card to 800 Toys 'R' Us stores. The card lets unbanked consumers pay for games and other game-related transactions.

Virtual Greats Brings Rocawear To Project Powder

Virtual Greats announced that a line of branded virtual goods based on the Rocawear license would be appearing in Outspark's Project Powder online game. Project Powder is a snowboarding game with a heavy emphasis on customization of a player's in-game avatar and will be the first online game to play host to a Virtual Greats branded virtual goods line. Previously, Virtual Greats has worked with virtual worlds in creating licensed goods lines.

Singapore Youth Olympics Gets Virtual World Iteration

Add the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games to large-scale, Asia-based events that are planned to take place concurrently inworld and realworld. The games are scheduled for August 14-26, 2010 and are expected to draw some 3,600 youth athletes who will compete in 26 sports categories. The organizing committee expects the competition to attract half a million spectators.

For the rest of us, there's the virtual experience, and to create that aspect of the inaugural event is Singapore Technologies Electronics. Its Training & Simulation division, ST Electronics, was today awarded the contract to build out the event online.

mEgo's Avatar Marketplace Outsourced to Fatfoogoo

Today ecommerce solutions provider fatfoogoo announced that it would partner with the online avatar provider mEgo to power the mEgo virtual goods storefront. The storefront will allow users to purchase customization items for their mEgo avatar profiles, which can be embedded into social network profiles and other webpages using a patent pending portable multimedia profile aggregator. There are currently 1.25 million mEgo avatars in use across the Web.

Crisp in Pact with UK's Tempero

UK-based Tempero, a company that offers clients a range of social media management and moderation products has entered into a partnership with Crisp. Tempero, which counts the BBC, British Airways, Manchester United Football Club and MTV among its client list, will include Crisp's NetModerator software in its product suite. Tempero says it is Europe's "largest Social Media Management Company" and that it consults on the creation and moderation of branded communities for a number of blue chip clients, including Lloyds TSB, Unilever and Disney. MySpace, YouTube and Bebo are also listed in its client roster. Tempero specializes in creating and managing message boards, blogs, commenting fields, user-generated content such as audio, video, and images, as well as online events and chat rooms.

NetModerator is currently used by a passel of blue chips including Cartoon Network. Virtual worlds that use the Crisp software include SuperSecret and the upcoming Vector City Racers and Medikidz.

Webkinz, Hampton Hotels Ink Partnership

Hampton Hotels has partnered with the Webkinz in a deal that involves a clever implementation of virtual goods. For a limited time, and for guests who book rooms through the hotel's web site, the chain is offering a line of three exclusive Webkinz plush toys that let children build a virtual pet version of their gift in Webkinz World. The three toys are Cherry Blossom Bird, Guinea Pig, and Springer Spaniel, and each will come with a code that can be used to gain access to the Webkinz virtual world.

WeeWorld, Virtual Greats Outline Rocawear Deal

Last week, Virtual Greats announced it would bring a virtual version of Jay-Z's Rocawear line of clothing to WeeWorld, but other details about the alliance sparse. Virtual Greats CEO Dan Jensen today confirmed that Rocawear hoodies, hats, shirts, and accessories will be released to WeeWorld users at season-appropriate times and would retail for $1 to $4 each. Additionally, WeeWorld GM and SVP of Marketing Lauren Bigelow addressed the limited but significant portability of Rocawear-branded goods across social networks and via email signatures. VirtualGoodsNews.com has the full story.

Dassault, Shanghai World Expo Ink Partnership

Dassault Systèmes, the company behind Virtual Earth-3DVIA and 3DSwym, today said it inked a deal with Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination to build World Expo Shanghai Online. Expo Online will be an interactive virtual rendering of the 5.28-square kilometer Expo site, including the more than 200 pavilions expected to be constructed for 2010 World Expo Shanghai.

Hi5 and Televisa Partner Up; Add to Reach, Inventory

Social entertainment site Hi5 continues to partner, acquire and build out its suite of offerings to users. Today, the site announced a commercial partnership with the Latin American media powerhouse Televisa and its digital business unit, Televisa Interactive Media.

The deal will see short- and full-length videos from the Televisa library, including the network's soap operas, dramatic series and news programs, made available to Hi5 users in Latin America.

GamersFirst Adds OurWorld to Lineup

Free-to-play game hub GamersFirst will now serve as an entry point for the avatar-based casual game/virtual world from FlowPlay, OurWorld.

The deal builds out the game suite from GamersFirst, the game portal owned by Korea-based K2 Network. FlowPlay says it will look to K2 for counsel in the areas of monetization and customer retention. "OurWorld is the next step in social interaction for Tweens and Teens throughout the world." Josh Downs, Associate Producer at GamersFirst said in a statement. "We are honored to be working with FlowPlay on this step into the future of social networking."

OurWorld, a virtual world aimed at kids 11-15, bridges the genres of virtual worlds, MMORPGs, social networks, and casual games. In February, FlowPlay announced a similar deal which saw its games migrate to the Miniclip game portal.