Mobile virtual hangout Chipuya Town recruits tenants

Mimicking Tokyo’s shopping and entertainment Shibuya district, a Flash-based mobile virtual world Chipuya Town is getting ready for beta launch in September this year. Right now MediaGroove, a developer of Chipuya Town, is campaigning to sign up advertisers. To lure businesses MediaGroove offers virtual boutiques, space for promotional events, truck advertising, and distribution of virtual flyers. The rent pay starts from one million yen ($8,359) a month and higher for boutique.

Dwellers of Chipuya Town will be able to walk in two-dimensional streets chatting with each other and earning points by clicking on ad banners or through referral fees. Dull pages will be substituted with personal rooms with furniture and clothes bought on earned points. Nevertheless, user profiles, blogging and texting features will also be available. Mobile phone users of all three Japan’s national carriers can join mobile virtual world of Chipuya Town free of charge.

MediaGroove came up with a solid idea but it is facing a chicken and egg dilemma. To become an attractive target for advertisers Chipuya Town’s streets need to be crowded with residents, but growing the community to significant numbers may take some time.

Source: IT Media (Japanese)