Most American Kids to Go Virtual by 2013

The growth of interest in virtual worlds looks set to continue rising, especially amongst younger internet users. According to predictions by eMarketer, more than half of net-enabled US children under 12 will use virtual worlds at least once a month by 2013.

Just over 4 million kids are estimated to have been users of virtual worlds in 2008, that’s 28% of those online. eMarketer predict this will rise to 50% by 2012. In 2013 more than half of net-enabled kids will be using virtual worlds frequently: 9.6 of 17.8 million, that’s 54%.

Take-up amongst teenagers is rather less. Only 17% used virtual worlds regularly in 2008, with that figure predicted to rise to 25% by 2013. When it comes to adults, recent research suggested that in 2008 only 3% of us used virtual worlds at all.

Many companies are looking to tap into this young and growing market. eMarketer report that in January 2009 there were 112 virtual worlds aimed at the under 18s with at least another 81 in development.

Of course these figures and predictions refer to virtual worlds only. Once you factor in the expected growth of augmented reality it’s likely that by 2013 few US kids will be restricted to playing boring old reality.

Picture Credit: MarkWallace (Creative Commons)