When virtual worlds die

Ian Lamont — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:53:50 -0400

Think pulling the plug on a relatively small and slightly aged social virtual world is easy? That's what Disney apparently thought, when it announced plans to shutter its free Virtual Magic Kingdom service. Even though the VMK userbase is small (just over one thousand were online when I checked this morning, and now almost 4000 are online at 7:30 in the evening, eastern time) they are extremely dedicated, and are taking news of the closure quite badly, according to the Wall Street Journal and other sources. There have been petitions, angry blog posts, and even a tiny real-world demonstration outside of Disney HQ.

I am not surprised. People don't just love social networks and virtual worlds, they come to depend on them, and the threat of losing access is extremely hard for some to bear. Second Life's adult residents griping over grid outages is nothing new, but even kids-oriented worlds can draw die-hard fans who have trouble letting go of these environments, as I found out when I blogged about Webkinz World's technical difficulties in December and January. The responses in the comments and email was remarkable -- parents and their kids lamented the aparent loss of avatars, virtual furniture, and social connections. A few even talked about joining a class-action lawsuit or starting boycotts.

I doubt Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom will get a reprieve, but the VMK experience is a lesson for Disney as it expands its virtual worlds strategy with Club Penguin and other projects. The moral of the story: When trying to build up a successful virtual world, consider some of the inevitable challenges associated with breaking it down.

More news, commentary, and predictions from The Industry Standard:

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When virtual worlds die

Ian Lamont — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:53:50 -0400

More news, commentary, and predictions from The Industry Standard:

Prediction: Second Life usage will not break 40 million user hours per month by the end of 2008
Ian Lamont: Sex machinima adds to GTA IV hype and controversy
Analysis: Second Life: Interface, infrastructure and growth woes continue
Special Feature: The Industry Standard's Top 25 B-to-Z List Blogs

When virtual worlds die

Ian Lamont — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:53:50 -0400

More news, commentary, and predictions from The Industry Standard:

Prediction: Second Life usage will not break 40 million user hours per month by the end of 2008
Ian Lamont: Sex machinima adds to GTA IV hype and controversy
Analysis: Second Life: Interface, infrastructure and growth woes continue
Special Feature: The Industry Standard's Top 25 B-to-Z List Blogs