What Virtual Worlds can Succeed ?

What kind of virtual worlds and not which virtual worlds can succeed ?
Previous blog was on virtual worlds closing down and shutting doors including one of my fav highly praised virtual world for its web innovations - Metaplace. Those closing down includes Vivaty ( *3D UCG world which caught my eye when they jump on to Facebook ) and Fortera ( *which had a booth just next to us at one the virtual worlds conference a year or two back ). In 2010 and 2011 there will be more virtual worlds closing down certainly, in China both the 3D worlds UWORLD and NOVOKING is gone too leaving only HIPIHI whom was saved by Singapore Technology giving them the YOG project ( Singapore Youth Olympics virtual world ) worth USD 10 million which was never publicly publicized now for reasons unknown. China Telecom 3D world - CHINAQ is not going anywhere too and may soon be closed ! Then there is the famous date November 19th 2008 - "Google Kills Lively", when my company iLEMON was in the midst of raising our Series A.

Does all the above news makes one wants to just leave this virtual worlds business alone ? So what kind of virtual worlds can make it towards success ?

1.) Habbo - where we originate from is still moving strong with about USD 80 million in revenues and profitable. But far from an IPO thought Habbo had been around since 2000.

2.) Disney with its virtual worlds and Club Penguin is still moving strong. Disney just launch CARS virtual world and I heard they will be moving into China with CARS to push their toys.

3.) Kids virtual worlds such as Poptropica and 51Mole ( *in China ) is gaining good momentum.

4.) GaiaOnline is moving along too but towards more game centric.

And lets look at some YOVILLE a virtual world on Facebook by Zynga with 20 million monthly active users and is currently the top 20 social games on Facebook and Zynga top 10 games in its portfolio.

Can You See The SECRET ?

On a separate blog page I will paste a review of HAPPY FARM by 5 Minutes a social game developer in China. If you read and play the game HAPPY FARM you will notice that - it is a virtual world hidden under the brand name of a Social Game, slapped with a market position of FARMING following the famed foot steps of Farm Ville and lastly paste in front of the game with a FARM first before others.

So virtual worlds just need a little more work and some rebranding to move towards the next step. I must say that iLEMON missed this step and now we are playing "Catching Up" with the mouse that had lead.