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'Twitter Makes Noise, Second Life Makes Money'

While virtual worlds have virtually fallen off the media radar, the online habitats appear to be thriving. The consultancy kzero.co.uk reports that membership of virtual worlds grew by 39% in the second quarter of 2009 to an estimated 579 million. (Regular activity in the worlds, however, remains questionable.) The Guardian takes this opportunity to chide Facebook and Twitter for their inability to effectively monetize their steep usage, while virtual worlds such as World of Warcraft, Entropia Universe, Habbo Hotel, Club Penguin and Second Life are all profitable.

Why? Apparently, "Because their business models are based on the digital elixir of subscriptions and micropayments, a formula that other websites, including newspapers, would die for."

Best summation we've read in a while: "Twitter makes the noise, Second Life makes the money."

Read the whole story at The Guardian »

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