6. Conclusions In this study, we provided an overview of existing popular VW platforms for young
children and adolescent players by providing insights into how gameplay mechanics,
communication channels, and parent control features contribute to critical insights about
design. We conducted a comparison across 10 specific platforms for players aged 5 to
18+ years old, examining gameplay mechanics using play and community structures, and
social communication in the online environment using chat moderation and parent controls.
Findings from this paper suggest that, over the past two decades, VWs have advanced
from text-only chat features to multimodal social interaction during gameplay. However,
critical sociotechnical design challenges remain, especially in areas of age-appropriate
design features that allow child and adolescent players to interact and communicate freely
while keeping them safe within the gaming systems, and customizable communication
parental control features that are easily visible, supportive of youth’s developmental needs.
This work expanded the existing research about the virtual worlds for youth by offering an
evaluation framework for analyzing existing VW platforms, particularly for young players,
an area that is in critical need of more research by interdisciplinary scholars. As youth
grow and learn in these VWs, ongoing research should take a longitudinal examination
of VWs to monitor youth’s learning and play trajectories and create features that foster
positive, productive, and creative experiences.
Author Contributions: Conceptualization, K.S.-T. and Y.D.; Methodology, K.S.-T. and Y.D.; Analysis
and Investigation, Y.D., T.D.G. and K.J.; Writing: Y.D., T.D.G., K.J. and K.S.-T. All authors have read
and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research did not receive any funding.
