Virtual World Marketing Plan

Reflective essay

[Name of student]

[Name of institute]

Reflective essay

Introduction

A virtual world is a type of virtual community online that simulates a world or artificial environment inspired or not in reality, in which users can interact through characters or avatars, and use objects or virtual goods. To be a virtual world, it requires a persistent online world, active and available 24 hours a day, every day (Naone, 2008). Virtual worlds are made to live and interact with users, usually in real time. The characters, or avatars, are represented by graphs in 2D, 2.5 D or 3D depending on the virtual world. Virtual worlds appeared in a professional learning (flight simulators), education or in the medical environment, but now is being led by electronic entertainment companies, who see this technology a new era for video games. Although not limited to video games, many of these virtual worlds are known as massive gaming online or MMO (Massively multiplayer online games) (Naone, 2008).

Discussion

The advantages of the virtual world in the field of business are many: the new technology can deliver a course to students who are all over the planet but also to test the abilities of students in the virtual world before putting them in practice in real life (Linden, 2005). Moreover, the fun aspect of Second Life can motivate students, having fun while learning. While initially these distance courses were only options, some schools are now fully integrated into some of their curriculum. It is now possible to do everything in Second Life, it is a tool without limits on which companies and individuals stand to gain (Dell, 2009).

The virtual world has proven to be very advantageous in the business sector and also disadvantageous at times. The major disadvantage of the virtual world in business is the use of specific sort of computers and required equipment which increases the cost of the budget of an organization. Currently, millions of players already live in the Second Life universe. The social aspect is predominant in this game unlike other massively multiplayer games, there are no quests, no fighting against the environment. Fighting between players is allowed in certain areas, but is not required to progress through the game