Report: Nickelodeon Creates New Divisions For Online Games, Virtual Worlds

Seeking to expand its presence in online gaming and virtual worlds, MTV Networks' Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group revealed that it will be creating two new divisions around those efforts, according to a report from digital content business site PaidContent. Following a two-year $100 million investment in the casual games space, Nickelodeon plans to add 1,600 new games to its library of 5,000 titles currently available. Dave Williams, former senior vice president and general manager of MTVN's Shockwave and Addicting Games, will lead the company's online gaming strategy as senior vice president and general manager of the newly formed games group. Williams' responsibilities will include adding subscription game services, licensing, and self-publishing businesses. He will also work with game developers and publishers, as well as partner with Nickelodeon's consumer products division to develop titles around popular properties, such as SpongeBob SquarePants and iCarly, and original properties, such as Shockwave’s Carrie the Caregiver. Former NickJr.com head and current NeoPets senior vice president and general manager Kyra Reppen will lead Nickelodeon's virtual worlds initiative under similar SVP and GM titles, working on the NeoPets virtual world, a SpongeBob environment, and another project tentatively titled Monkey World. As part of its virtual worlds strategy, NeoStudios has been renamed Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group Virtual World Studios.