OpenSim User Growth Slows Amid Colder Weather – Hypergrid Business

As the days grow cooler here in the U.S., it’s the perfect excuse—weather acting up now and then aside—to retreat more into virtual worlds amidst real-world chaos. No surprise then that both the number of registered users and land area have increased across public OpenSim grids.

What catches the eye, though, is a notable drop in active users—a dip of over 2,700. Checking behind the scenes, Moonrose didn’t release any stats this month due to what seem to be website hiccups, leaving over 900 active users unaccounted. Similarly, Vida Dupla and Great Canadian Grid, previously reporting 375 and 600 actives respectively, have also become unresponsive.

But more than website mishaps are at play here, as several grids themselves reported a slump in active participation. OSgrid, for instance, is down by more than 800 actives, Craft World dropped by 200, and five other grids lost over 100 each. So, what’s pulling people away? Perhaps it’s the allure of Halloween festivities or simply the joys of a brisk fall walk.

Looking ahead, I’m keeping tabs on a total of 2,677 public grids, of which 295 have been active this month and 232 were kind enough to share their statistics. If your grid has stats we’re missing, do drop me a line at [email protected] to ensure it’s featured in future reports—free search engine love and user visibility included.

Despite losing over 2,000 regions this month, OSgrid holds the crown for land area with a sprawling 32,867 standard region equivalents. Meanwhile, Wolf Territories Grid emerges as the most lively in logins, boasting 7,379 unique visitors over 30 days.

Most grids running through DreamGrid, an all-in-one OpenSim solution for private use, aren’t included in these stats since they’re largely private locales. OpenSim itself is quite similar to Second Life but offers a more DIY-friendly approach for those creating virtual worlds. Whether using DreamGrid or another solution, you can dive into virtual reality with ease, or seek commercial hosting for as little as $5 per region.

If you’re new to OpenSim, check out a range of hosting options, grab the Firestorm viewer, and explore content available for your world or region here.

Jumping to another update, Hypergrid Business now offers a newsletter! With all the latest OpenSim news, it lands right in your inbox every month on the 15th, just after the stats report. Signing up is easy right here.

Now, onto the Top 25 grids by active users: Wolf Territories Grid reigns supreme with 7,379 actives, followed by OSgrid with 4,046, and GBG World with 2,498. Other notable mentions include DigiWorldz and Alternate Metaverse, among others like Darkheart’s Playground and WaterSplash. Merchants seeking customers and folks hunting for new connections may want to peek at these bustling communities.

The Kitely Market stands robust, showcasing 20,973 product listings with a vast majority—35,866 to be precise—marked as exportable content. It’s the go-to spot for legal OpenSim content, bridging both hypergrid-enabled and private grids to a wealth of resources.

On the new grid front, NakedWorldz makes its debut among the listed virtual spaces. And on a cautionary note, nine grids are currently suspended, awaiting resolution for possible reactivation.

To round things off, let’s check the Top 40 grids by land area: OSgrid tops with its 32,867 regions. Close contenders like Wolf Territories Grid and Kitely hold significant space as well. Whether it’s school or company-centric grids or personal spaces, this overview maps out the playgrounds where folks converge virtually.

If any public grid seems to have eluded our radar, reach out and let’s get it listed. You’re helping paint the full picture of the bustling OpenSim landscape.