ourWorld.com - Virtual Online World for Tweens

ourWorld is a virtual world supposedly “created by a group of kids who were tired of the mundane world and wanted to create a world that expressed their creativity and imagination.” It is really just a new gaming platform, aimed at “tweens” - the demographic falling roughly in the range of 8-12 years old. Members start by creating their own unique avatar, choosing from thousands of clothing items, accessories, various hair styles, etc. For a $6 per month subscription fee, you gain access to ourWorld, where players navigate their characters around a virtual Flash-based world – you can hang out, go dancing, go shopping, watch videos, interact with other characters, etc. You can chat with other users, post comments, or send messages. All chats are filtered for profanity, and players under 13 or those without parental permission are only allowed to participate in canned chat (selecting from pre-set statements). You can also play games or get a job, to earn valuable ‘flow’ points or extra spins on the prize wheel. Prizes include ourWorld money and unique clothing or accessories to update your avatar.

"ourWorld is a unique place to play games, win ourWorld money, and get clothing and accessories to create your own style. You can hang out with your friends and have fun discovering the districts and areas within this imaginative world!"

Online ‘virtual life’ games are growing in popularity and profitability, and tweens are liable to enjoy the games, videos, and social networking of ourWorld. Meanwhile, their parents will appreciate the fairly low subscription fee and strong optional parental controls, profanity filtering, etc.

Will parents or pre-teens be willing to pay the monthly subscription fee, when there are other virtual life games for tweens that are free (albeit most with significant ad content)?