Social networking on the Internet, a growing phenomenon in itself, is changing the way people spend their time. It is the strongest hook in measuring the success of a virtual world site, according to research.
"Over 350 million people visit virtual worlds now; 40 percent are kids (over 100 million.) It is a huge market. The under 16-age group is growing more than any other. There are several worlds for kids over 14, but the 8 to 12 year olds are underserved," says Spira.
According to market forecasts, the number of users logging into virtual worlds is expected to exceed one billion by 2012, with total revenue $3 billion.
Ginger Lewman on 24 Aug 11However, in an education system and learning culture so entrenched in standardized testing, the role and value of play and games is still finding a place, which is why the backlash against gamification is problematic, not just in the backlash, but in the way it is reported and then read by those who'd prefer the way we teach our children remains the same.
