Virtual World Law Blog

A weekly wrap up of interesting news about virtual worlds, virtual goods and other social media.

U.S. virtual goods revenue on Facebook to grow 32 percent to $1.65B in 2012

That growth rate is lower than the 40 percent growth for 2011, as the market analyst firm predicts that revenue this year is growing from $800 million in to 2010 to $1.25 billion by the end of 2011. While that is rapid growth, it shows that the fast-growing virtual goods and social gaming industries that use it are maturing and slowing down.

SecretBuilders Passes 5 million Member Mark, Makes Parents Magazine's Top 10

SecretBuilders, a game world for children with an emphasis on creativity and historical adventure, was selected by Parents Magazine, the leading parenting magazine in the world, as one of the Top 10 kids' websites for 2011, alongside PBS Kids, National Geographic's Animal Jam, Nickleodeon's Monkeyquest, and Pearson's Poptropica.

Online gamers crack AIDS enzyme puzzle

Online gamers have achieved a feat beyond the realm of Second Life or Dungeons and Dragons: they have deciphered the structure of an enzyme of an AIDS-like virus that had thwarted scientists for a decade.

Facebook Changes The Social Networking Game... Again

Today at their annual F8 conference Facebook announced some dramatic changes to its platform. But this time it's different. Why? Because the big social networks (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and now Google) have traditionally battled over the social graph - your relationships in the digital world and how to help build and connect them, but now Facebook is laying claim to your life.

Dangerous Intersection Of Mobility And Credit

There's a 2011 version of the birthday cakes, mugs of beer, and other gifts Facebook used to let us "buy" for our friends. Since July 1, Facebook has required all game developers that receive payments through the site to use Facebook Credits for the transactions. When developers go to convert Credits into cash, Facebook gets a cool 20% cut.

Clarins Gets into Social Gaming on Facebook

In a seemingly unusual move for a cosmetics company -- not to mention a French one -- Clarins launched a casual game on Facebook earlier this week called Spa Life.

A weekly wrap up of interesting news about virtual worlds, virtual goods and other social media.

Video Game Targets 'Tea Party Zombies,' Fox News Personalities

A New York-based video game developer has set his virtual crosshairs on Republican and conservative political figures in a game called "Tea Party Zombies Must Die," which allows players to indiscriminately slaughter politicians like Michele Bachmann, Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin.

Red Robot Launches Life is Crime Game With Location-Based Play

There's got to be more to location-based mobile games than checking in. That was the thinking behind the game startup Red Robot Labs and its first game, Life of Crime. Life of Crime uses what Red Robot believes is going to be its critical asset: the R2 Gaming Network platform for making location games.

Can Gamification Help Solve the Online Anonymity Problem?

There's been a lot written recently about the issue of online anonymity, and in particular how Google believes that a "real names" policy is necessary so that the Google+ network maintains a certain tone and level of trust.

Amazon Gets Serious About Social Games, Calls Out for Developers

The Facebook gaming arena is about to welcome a new gladiator: Amazon. The household name of online retailers (and e-readers) is officially pulling out all the stops for its inevitable entrance into the space, openly and internally calling out for a team of designers and developers.

Most Bosses Monitor or Block Social-Network Use At Work

Viruses, loss of confidential data and fear of employees tooling around doing sweet FA on Twitter are the top reasons that employers give for putting the brakes on social media in the workplace. And it's stopping them benefiting from new collaborative technologies, says ClearSwift Research.

Social Gaming Startup Guerillapps Launches First Green-Theme Upcycling Game on Facebook

Guerillapps, a Manhattan-based social gaming startup, today announces the launch of Trash Tycoon, its first green-theme social game for Facebook. The game is now available for play and takes a unique approach to social gaming by incorporating awareness for environmental issues and sustainability. The first game to ever highlight the concept of upcycling, Trash Tycoon is an immersive, fun game that presents opportunities for real-world impact.

Your Virtual Cow Could Be Worth $0

Fans of SuperPoke! Pets were crushed recently when Google announced it was pulling the plug on the game. Google killed off all but one project from social app maker Slide, which it bought last year for around $200 million.

October 20-21
8:00am - 6:30pm PT

Mission Bay Conference Center
1675 Owens Street
San Francisco, CA 94143

Following the overwhelming success of the inaugural event in New York, Socialize West unites business leaders in gaming, virtual goods, mobile, marketing, and media for two days of learning, connecting, and sharing about all things social. Attendees come to Socialize for the real-world insight that our unique blend of industry heavyweights, business visionaries and results-oriented practitioners bring to the table.  Through two days of comprehensive sessions, focused discussion and diverse perspectives, you'll learn how all the social media pieces fit together to create a unified business strategy.

Offering four core themes, Socialize gives attendees plenty of options. Choose the tracks most appropriate to your company's business objectives, tactics, or channel activities:

-Gamify. Social games keep getting hotter: the virtual goods market will surpass $2 billion in 2011

-Mobilize. The social web has gone mobile: lessons for social sharing, search, browsing, and networking

-Optimize. Learn how to effectively track and measure social media campaigns

-Monetize. At the root of all these topics, uncover key revenue drivers: content, apps, and more

Click Here for more information.

September 22
8:00am - 6:30pm

Museum of Jewish Heritage
36 Battery Place
New York, NY 10280

The most influential decision-makers in the digital media industry gather at NY Games Conference to network, do deals, and share ideas about the future of games and connected entertainment. NY Games Conference - now in its 3rd year - features lively debate on timely cutting-edge business topics. Executives from publishers, developers, advertising, investment firms, social networks, technology providers and content companies mingle together at this top industry event.

Click Here for more information.

September 15-16
8:00am - 6:00pm

The Museum of Jewish Heritage
36 Battery Place
New York, NY 10004

Gamification Summit NYC is the must-attend event that shows you how to use the power of games to create breakthrough engagement with your customers and employees. Companies like Gilt Groupe, Google, Microsoft, NBC/Universal, MTV, Recyclebank and Aetna have leveraged gamification to transform their businesses, and will share startling insights, statistics and hands-on workshops at GSummit NYC.

Jim Gatto, leader of the Social Media, Entertainment & Technology team, will be speaking from 1:30 - 2:15 PM on September 15 about gamification law and a formula for success.

Earlier this year, Jim spoke at the Gamification Summit held in San Francisco. His presentation on managing legal risk in gamification can be viewed on our blog.

Click Here for more information.

September 28-29
8:00am - 6:30pm

Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner
8661 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, VA 22182

Join hundreds of Digital executives, senior marketers, entrepreneurs, web strategists, bloggers, and investors at the Second Annual Digital East for expert content on opportunities and trends created by the latest in web innovation. Hear from dozens of industry thought leaders and innovators on topics such as Social Media, Mobile, Cloud, Analytics, Big Data, Search, Online Advertising, Ecommerce, Email and much more!

Click Here for more information.

October 26-27
8:00am - 6:30pm PT

Santa Clara Convention Center
5001 Great America Pkwy.
Santa Clara, CA 95054

This conference will address key components of App development, marketing and revenue. Join us for:
- Programming and design strategies from visionary developers
- Best methods for marketing and revenue.
- Case studies from top app developers.
- Latest analysis and insight from market researchers and investors.
- Keynote: Walmart's mobile app development strategy.
- Keynote: How Pandora took its app to over 200 platforms.
- Platform Wars: trends and what's next

...and much more. You'll hear from more than 80 expert speakers in 6 conference tracks. You'll hear from Walmart, ESPN, Pandora, Netflix, Nissan, Nielson, BMW, Microsoft, Bump, Samsung, AT&T, Qualcomm, Intel Capital and dozens of other companies that are developing and monetizing great apps.

Click Here for more information.