24% Of Young US Internet Users To Visit Virtual Worlds
According to a new report from eMarketer, 24% of the 34.3 million US child and teen internet users will visit virtual worlds once a month in 2007.
According to its Kids and Teens Online: Virtual Worlds Open New Universe report, by mingling aspects of video gaming, social networking and communicating, virtual worlds have appeal for both genders and are an intriguing opportunity for those marketing to kids and teens.
Debra Aho Williamson, senior eMarketer analyst and author of the report, said: “The bad news is that it is difficult to know what all this virtual interaction really means. What value is there in a person’s avatar drinking a Pepsi? Or wearing a shirt bought from a virtual store? What if a person’s virtual activities have no bearing on their real-world activities?”
Recent figures from Nielsen//NetRatings showed that the virtual world Second life is the leading social network in the UK in terms of monthly time per visitor, at five hours and 29 minutes (see Facebook And MySpace Visited By One In Five Online Britons).
Earlier this year, a forecast from Gartner predicted that by the end of 2011, 80% of active internet users will have virtual lives online (see 80% Of Active Internet Users To Have Virtual Lives).