Virtual Worlds Forecast to Grow at 23% Through 2015

Microtransactions Expected to Grow to $17.3 billion by 2015

Boston, MA - June 15, 2009 – Strategy Analytics today released its forecast for worldwide social virtual worlds, noting a 23% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2009-2015.   The fastest growing demographic, represented by kids between the ages of 5 and 9, shows a 27% CAGR; however, the largest segment is for tweens and teens, which is experiencing a 21% growth. The Strategy Analytics Virtual Worlds Strategies service report, “Virtual Worlds Market Forecast 2009-2015,” predicts that virtual worlds will continue to improve the user experience and will convert registrations to active users at a 38% CAGR through 2015.


Coinciding with the high growth of individual registrants and active user base is revenue generation that comes from three key sources:

•  Microtransactions
•  Subscriptions
•  Advertising/sponsorships.

Of these three sources, microtransactions are expected to grow from slightly over $1 billion in 2008 to $17.3 billion in 2015 accounting for approximately 86% of the revenue generated by virtual worlds.

“The high conversion of registrants to active users demonstrates that users are finding value – in the form of entertainment, engagement, and social interaction,” according to Barry Gilbert, Vice President of the Strategy Analytics Gaming Sector and author of this report.   In addition, Gilbert noted, “Access to virtual worlds across a variety of platforms, from consoles to mobile devices, will help catalyze growth.”

Harvey Cohen, President of Strategy Analytics, added, “Virtual worlds have largely overcome enabling restrictions in terms of broadband access, computing power, and ease of use, and are now experiencing significant interest among major brands, as well as traction among targeted demographics.”

Cumulative Global Unique Virtual World Registrants

(millions)

Source: Strategy Analytics, Inc