Stardoll

Infobox VG
title = Stardoll


developer = Stardoll AB
publisher = Stardoll AB; Mattias Miksche
engine = Adobe Flash
released = April 3, 2002
genre =
modes =
ratings =
platforms = OS Independent (Web Based Flash) (Flash 7 Required)
media = Web interface
input = Keyboard, Mouse

Stardoll is a browser game based around the paper doll concept, aimed in general at the young female demographic. Launched in 2006, the website was attracting a reported 8 million unique users a month (as of February 2008), who dress up dolls using a range of tools and can participate in interactive activities depending on the type of account they use.cite web | title = Dress-Up for Dollars | publisher = New York Times Magazine | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/magazine/17wwln-consumed-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin | accessdate = April 25 | accessyear = 2008 ]

Stardoll first appeared as "Paperdoll Heaven" in 2004 as creator Liisa's personal page on paper dolls grew from its original home on Geocities.cite web | title = Stardoll.com: From Little Things Big Things Grow | publisher = TechCrunch | url = http://www.techcrunch.com/tag/stardoll/ | accessdate = April 25 | accessyear = 2008 ] It expanded in 2006 after receiving venture funding from Index Ventures [ [http://www.indexventures.com/portfolio/index/industry_id/1/geography_id/13#company_id_31 Index Ventures] , accessed April 25, 2008] ] and Sequoia Capital.cite web | title = Virtual Dress-Up Site Gets $6M | publisher = Red Herring | url = http://www.redherring.com/Home/17402 | accessdate = May 4 | accessyear = 2008 ] Relaunched in 2006, the site targets a demographic of girls and boys between the ages of 9 and 17, who can either register for free or sign up for a paid account that opens a number of aspects on the site.cite web | title = MySpace not their space | publisher = Houston Chronicle | url = http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/5507535.html | accessdate = April 25 | accessyear = 2008 ] The site also has user-run fashion magazines, clubs, instant messaging, and virtual shopping. Each Stardoll member is supplied with a personal page. Many people copy and paste pictures onto their presentation, a place on a members page in which they can create anything they want to show. Members may also message one another.

The site has drawn interest from celebrities and fashion designers, some of whom are represented on the site either as one of the figures that can be dressed up (such as Avril Lavigne and Hilary Duff)cite web | title = Word of Mouse: Creating a musical buzz online | publisher = NPR | url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14250186 | accessdate = April 25 | accessyear = 2008 ] or through use of their fabulous fashions.cite web | title = Donna Karan, Sephora to sell in Stardoll Web world | publisher = Washington Post | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/26/AR2007092600040_pf.html | accessdate = May 4 | accessyear = 2008 ] It has been named a Webware 100 winner by CNET.cite web | title = Webware 100 Winner: Stardoll | publisher = Webware | url = http://www.webware.com/8301-13546_109-9914692-29.html | accessdate = May 4 | accessyear = 2008 ]

Some critics of Stardoll and similar sites have expressed concerns with the commercial aspect of Stardoll and similar sites and its effect on its users.cite web | title = When the Internet becomes child's play | publisher = iol.co.za | url = http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_News&set_id=1&click_id=79&art_id=vn20070727121841926C268693 | accessdate = May 4 | accessyear = 2008 ] The site has also experienced controversy around their use of celebrity likenesses without permission from the celebrities' management.cite web | title = Millions Of Us and Virtual Greats; Merchandising and Virtual Goods | publisher = Virtual Worlds News | url = http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2008/06/feature-million.html | accessdate = June 12 | accessyear = 2008 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.stardoll.com/en/ Stardoll home page]