Characteristics of Virtual World Users
digital media, Edward Castranova, entertainment software association, IGN entertainment, Indiana, internet addiction, Internet addiction disorder, mainstream media, Nick Yee, Second Life, Society on the Cyberian Frontier, Stanford University, United Kingdom, United States, University of Indiana, University of Nottingham Trent, US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, virtual reality, Virtual world
Having looked, in the previous entry, at the economic conditions surrounding virtual worlds, I am now turning my attention to the demographic profile of those users. Overall Numbers The overall population, according to MMOG Charts, is currently about 12 million people strong. What is interesting, however, is the growth rate: looking at the linked chart, one can see the population doubling at an increasing rate: it took 24 months to get from 6 million to 12 but it took 48 months to go from 3 to 6. This accelerating rate of growth is an interesting one. Assuming that few other factors change, one could envision a 24 million people strong population within the next 12 months or, on a more conservative basis, within the next 18 months. Considering the upsurge in stories about the phenomenon in the mainstream press, growth will, at least, continue at the same pace over the next year. A recent estimate shows that SecondLife is growing at a rate of 22 percent a month though a more conservative estimate shows a growth rate of 15 percent. Any which way you play it, this is a fairly high growth rate. Age The videogame industry has evolved and…