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Nicktropolis: Second Life for the young set
Tapping into Second Life fever, Nickelodeon spins out its own online world of avatars and user-created realms.
Nickelodeon, the children's TV network, is launching an online virtual world just for children, reports Reuters.
Based on the popular virtual world, Second Life, visitors to Nicktropolis will be able to create their own personalized 3D rooms on the site. Children make up their own 3D "avatars" where they can choose their hair and skin color and what to wear.
Not surprisingly, the theme will be all things Nickelodeon including games and video featuring Nickelodeon brands and characters. MTV, Nickelodeon's parent company, is positioning itself to capture the younger market. A recent study found that 86 percent of kids aged between 8 and 14 were playing games online.
"Nicktropolis is built from our knowledge that kids' interest in social networking is all about gaming," said Cyma Zarghami, president of Nickelodeon.