Virtual worlds in the media

1. Los Angeles Times (USA) - Virtual Muslim world bans drinking, sex. "Ever wanted to experience life in the Muslim world but didn't have enough money to fly to Cairo? The first-ever virtual version of the Muslim world was recently launched online. Muxlim Pal lets you adopt an animated avatar and interact with others online in a virtual world governed by the rules of Islam. You … [Read more...] about The Watch – virtual worlds in the news

1. SiliconValley.com (USA) - Some startups adding muscle in tough economy. "MVU Chief Executive Cary Rosenzweig used to make his living pushing practical products such as Tide, Clorox and QuickBooks Payroll. Now he leads an Internet "virtual world" company where visitors spend actual money for something as seemingly frivolous as a new wardrobe for their digital alter egos and … [Read more...] about The Watch – virtual worlds in the news

1. Escapist (USA) - World of Warcraft: A Religion? "To say that hardcore WoW players are fanatics is one thing, but to call them religious is another. That's what a graduate student at the University of Colorado is arguing, though. Citing the French sociologist Danil Hervieu-Lger's definition of religion, Theo Zijderveld argues that though World of Warcraft isn't a religion … [Read more...] about The Watch – virtual worlds in the news

1. VentureBeat (USA) - iMafia, a social game for iPhone with new virtual goods model. "Social games have taken off on networks like Facebook, and now mobile platforms like the iPhone. One of the newest examples is the iMafia game from PlayMesh, which has found a clever way to integrate virtual goods — a challenge for most iPhone apps. Social games like Mob Wars are already … [Read more...] about The Watch – virtual worlds in the news

1. CNET (USA) - American Idol shows how to extend brand with Habbo virtual world alliance. "As reported earlier on Webware, FremantleMedia, co-producer of American Idol, announced it has teamed up with Habbo to create an Idol-branded community within the Habbo virtual world. Habbo claims 11.5 million unique users on a worldwide basis and more than 121 million characters have … [Read more...] about The Watch – virtual worlds in the news