Nickelodeon today launched Nicktropolis, a kid-targeted virtual world that will allow visitors to engage in a variety of web-based activities. Akin to Linden Labs’ online community Second Life, Nicktropolis offers youngsters the opportunity to interact with other kids or Nickelodeon characters in real time, and also has a function where members can create their own personalized 3D rooms. The launch follows on the heels of the BBC’s announcement of plans to create its own virtual kids’ environment dubbed CBBC World.
Kids can now log onto http://www.nicktropolis.com to enter an immersive 3D environment where they can watch video from Nick’s vast library of programming, play games, have fun with popular TV characters and safely communicate through controlled chat. Visitors assume an avatar that they design and personalize, choosing from an array of hairstyles, skin tones and clothing styles. Once a user selects a destination form four main areas, his or her avatar appears in that particular environment. Kids can set up their own personal spaces at Nickname Lane, check out a collection of Nickelodeon property-branded rooms at Nicktoon Boulevard, enjoy non-branded content at Downtown Nicktropolis and visit The Pier for gaming experiences.
‘Virtual worlds like Nicktropolis are part of our strategy to bring immersive, relevant entertainment experiences to our audiences wherever they are, and to build communities around our content across every kind of platform,” says Judy McGrath, chairman and CEO of MTV Networks. “The virtual worlds we’ve been building across our networks give the fans of our brands the high level of interaction they want with one another, and with the content itself.”
Nicktropolis is MTV Networks’ latest move in serving its audiences through original online and wireless content. Over the past two years, the company has acquired such expansive community and gaming assets as NeoPets, AddictingGames.com, Shockwave.com, Harmonix Music Systems, GameTrailers and Xfire. For it’s college-aged audience, MTVN picked up RateMyProfessors.com and Y2M, and has also added user-generated content, short-form video and networking destinations including IFILM, AddictingClips.com, Atom Films, Quizilla, MTV Flux, The Click from The N and Nick’s own ParentsConnect.
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