A recent study from KZero Research has numbered 303 millions of registered users shared among 21 different virtual universes. Among them Habbo Hotels is the leader with over 90 million registered users worldwide. As this articles titles: "Virtual world's baby boom", these innovative spaces are usually populated with teenagers. Second Life is a notable exception where average users' age is around 33 years old, an appropriate target for companies that have massively invested this virtual world.
Nevertheless, the huge buzz of 2007 has vanished and certain analysts predict that Second Life is dying, although the number of connected user hours is still growing. At the same time, companies wonder if it is relevant to invest in virtual worlds right now, because the small number of frequent users (compared to MySpace for instance) does not give them a good return of investment.
Other experts think that virtual worlds are experimenting a growth crisis, but that they still represent the future of the internet. Several companies, such as MTV or Coca-Cola, are developing their own 3D immersive universes, to create a new form of relationship with their customers.
Nobody can assure which virtual world will rule the World Wide Web in the future but understanding how such environments function is a necessity for any major organization. And to do that, EDF R&D developed in Second Life the island "EDF DreamYourEnergy" consisting of an eco-efficient house, a dam visit, windmills, a virtual goods store, an interactive map of European CO2 emissions and fun activities. This prototype in restricted access is currently being tested by a panel of 30 internauts.
@Charles DELALONDE
