The idea of virtual worlds seemed completed foreign to me (at least I thought) until my last class this spring semester, Marketing 830; Strategic Communication and Marketing with Doctor Grossbart. Our text book was Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind where he goes through six key aptitudes that are essential to the development of using your right brain which in return gives you professional success and personal fulfillment. The six aptitudes are:  design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning.  Ironically enough, the one my class struggled with the most was play and the concept of these virtual worlds like Mark Kingdon’s Second Life.

As Chapter 16 even indicates on page 305, “There is no game-winning objective in a virtual world…  Virtual worlds are designed for avatars to enter into, navigate and interrelate by engaging in personal, one-on-one communications. Hmmm – so this got me thinking if I’ve ever been in a virtual world before as the only avatar that was coming to my mind are the blue creatures who I watch in the movies. I do though, remember figure 16.4 “Microsoft’s Bob Operating System” as we had a gateway and I spent hours decorating my room (homescreen) and playing with that dog. Which then reminded me of the hours I spent playing SimCity 2000:

This simulation city building computer game which came out in 1994 is played by one person who is essentially the governor of the town (sound familiar like modern day Four Square?) except they are in charge of the cities ever move from roads and power lines to building airports and enough police stations to keep the city safe. Citizens pay taxes and throughout the years, your city continues to grow.  I was OBSESSED with this computer game. I even remember my brother and I having to sign up for time after our chores were done. This was definitely my first time “gaming”.

Although I haven’t been in a virtual world since I played this game in grade school, I wonder what it would be like if it was invented today?  Much like other virtual worlds, I would imagine that you could sell billboard space for advertisements. Buildings and schools would have naming rights to them and companies might even purchase retail space to put up a store. Virtual worlds is a key place for people to who need to escape the real world and can get lost in their perfect avatar.  I’m not surprised that companies like Wells Fargo (who created Stagecoach Island) and Coca-Cola’s CC Metro spend millions on advertisements and creating their own stations/stores in programs like Second Life. I think it’s too early to tell the exact ROI these businesses receive but it is a new territory with lots of space to grow!