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Most Business-Launched Virtual Worlds Fail

Posted by timothy on from the your-door-is-a-jar dept.

bughunter writes "Internet consultant firm Gartner claims that only 1 in 10 commercial virtual worlds succeeds, and most fail within 18 months: 'Businesses have learned some hard lessons," Gartner analyst Steve Prentice said in a statement released Thursday. "They need to realize that virtual worlds mark the transition from Web pages to Web places and a successful virtual presence starts with people, not physics. Realistic graphics and physical behavior count for little unless the presence is valued by and engaging to a large audience."'" Hard to believe it's even as high as one in ten -- most "virtual worlds" with obvious commercial trappings certainly don't inspire much besides mockery.

11 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Most Businesses Fail by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Funny

    What more really needs saying? I dunno, maybe only 1 in 10 posts gets modded up to +5, despite good intentions?
    --
    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  2. Re:Virtual Lawyers? by CDMA_Demo · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'll be a good exercise Oh, grammar nazis! I have sinned!
  3. My Virtual World by canuck57 · · Score: 4, Funny

    While it isn't business, it is life. My virtual world has never failed me. Especially six. I live in it now. I deviate and fork when I dream. Dream I do. If I don't like things, I change it. I live two instances of virtuality, my dreams state and my outwardly facing persona.

    Best part, it works without a computer. Requires no electricity, although a few beers helps.

    Miller time!

    1. Re:My Virtual World by maxume · · Score: 2, Funny

      Miller time? I don't think you are a real Canuck.

      Also, a few beers?

      --
      Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
  4. Re:Sturgeon's Law by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Unless it's Scottish... In which case it's shite.
  5. Virtual mockery by Monkey_Genius · · Score: 4, Funny

    "...most "virtual worlds" with obvious commercial trappings certainly don't inspire much besides mockery."

    Especially here.

    --
    I've got your sig, right here.
    1. Re:Virtual mockery by Fred+Or+Alive · · Score: 4, Funny

      Surely it should be '"virtual worlds"... don't inspire much besides mockery.'.

      --
      10 PRINT "LOOK AROUND YOU ";
      20 GOTO 10
  6. Re:Virtual Lawyers? by Oktober+Sunset · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh, application-of-adequate-pressure-to-the-T-key nazis! I have sinned! There fixed that for you, you mustn't encourage them, that's like throwing chum to a shark.
    --
    What if Tetris was invented by Nazis?
  7. Re:Sturgeon's Law by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Thought that was Iran, or are these highlands indistinguishable?

  8. Re:Most MMOs fail before even hitting the market, by Eric52902 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't think so many have gone belly up? Check this site out, and look at the number of games that were cancelled either pre-beta or during beta, or after launch. It's a lot. BetaWatcher I suspect the percentage would be close to 100% if you include all three of those ;)
  9. Re:WTF counts as a virtual world. by Zibblsnrt · · Score: 2, Funny

    Only if you invite them along and camp their spawn point.

    --
    "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke