Media Groove BETA launches new real-town social networking service Chipuya Town

Rating: virtual insanity

Media Groove is launching a new BETA social networking service called Chipuya Town. This town is a 2D Flash-based version of real-world Tokyo youth hotspot Shibuya. The social network offers avatars and interaction around the town and even a virtual currency system to purchase goods or clothing.

Comment from Wireless Watch Japan
While Chipuya Town doesn’t feature mobile games (as opposed to mobagetown), it does seem to have a more advanced virtual economy, and to be taking a cross-platform approach: In an Second Life-inspired take, users can use a free PC-based Flash application to actually create avatar items such as clothes and avatar home accessories themselves, that they can then use for own their own avatars or sell to others in virtual Shibuya - the mobile version, that is.

Media Groove is also planning on selling virtual store branches to real-world companies feeling a need for a presence within Chipuya. Recruiting customers will start August 1. Customers will be given several tools to pitch their goods to the avatar masses, including advertising outside and inside their virtual stores, in-store promotional events and – this sort of boggles my mind – a virtual advertising truck that will drive around and hand out virtual leaflets to avatars. Starting at JPY 1,000,000 per month (USD 8,000), rent is quite steep in absolute terms, but may pay off if Chipuya Town sees growth rates similar to mobagetown.