Gaia Online is a mix of social networking and MMPOG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). Mostly it’s the most popular anime forum-based sites which originally called “Go-Gaia” and was launched in far 2003. Now, it is the most biggest forum in the internet, social gaming site and winner of some web awards. Some people even say, that Gaia Online is the world’s fastest growing online world hangout for teens.

Users of the site, denominated as Gaians, can create a customizable avatar an virtual home for which the can purchase items for so called Gaia Gold and interact with virtual world. This is Gaia virtual currency which users can get after some of the website activities, like playing Flash games, regular posting on the forums or just by random Daily Chance feature.

Gaia Interactive, Inc. earn money from selling “rare items” - cool fashion accessories for player avatars, treasures and other, useful for users stuff. It strongly discourage real money trading in the game even though there are more than 5k Gaian-to-Gaian auctions a day. Auctions is another way to buy items, clothes and other stuff.

Besides forums (which takes about 30% of visitors activity), Gaia online visitors also can play 8 Flash Games. That games are: Fishing, Towns, Word Bump, Jigsaw, Slots, Cinemas, Cards, Rally and Virtual Hollywood.

Gaia Towns is a virtual world where users’ avatars can interact with each other and collect gold with small items. Users’ homes are also can be found in Towns.

There are also an MMPOG element in Gaia Online. Gaia’s battle system wasn’t yet fully released and it’s name will be chosen by user contest. It will consist of RPG style quests and system which simulate usual for that type of games abilities, like throwing fireballs, making shields and so on.

At the moment, there are about 300000 daily log ins in Gaia Online and average user spends about 2 hours a day in the virtual world.