Vancouver-based video game developer Inspirado Games is partnering with World Wildlife Fund Canada with its GardenMind game. Players that complete the game’s brain challenges are also able to support real-world conservation initiatives. The GardenMind game is based on the premise - or rather metaphor - that a brain is like a garden and needs to be nourished each day through mental exercise. Supporting this premise are scientific studies that show brains need regular exercise to remain strong and healthy like other muscle groups. Hence in GardenMind, players plant garden items in their virtual garden and then play a variety of brain training games to grow those items.

"We chose WWF-Canada as our partner because of their incredible dedication to protecting threatened habitats and endangered species as well as the logical fit with the concept of our game," said Inspirado Games CEO, Rick Davidson. "If a player wants a virtual Tiger for their garden they have to actively protect Tigers in the real world through WWF's Save The Tiger program."

Virtual Goods Rule…

It is not surprising non-profits are entering this space: social gaming is expected to become a billion dollar business this year, eMarketer estimates. Nearly 62 million US internet users, or 27% of the online audience, will play at least one game on a social network monthly this year, up from 53 million in 2010, it said. As these numbers increase, so will the money spent on virtual goods, lead-generation offers and advertising.

…But Mobile Game Ad Spending on the Rise Too

Up until now virtual goods have made up the majority of social gaming revenues, and they will continue to bring in the biggest share of dollars through 2012. However eMarketer anticipates that ad spending will grow quickly this year, with marketers spending $192 million to advertise on social games, nearly a 60% increase over 2010. eMarketer forecasts a further rise of 41% in ad spending next year. Ad spending’s share of total revenues will increase from 14.1% in 2010 to 20.5% in 2012, when it will surpass lead-generation offers as a source of developer revenues, it also predicts. At the same time, virtual goods will hold steadily onto a share of about 60% of the market.

Other stats suggest similar growth for mobile game ad spending. Juniper Research recently predicted that ad spending on mobile games will increase tenfold over the next five years. By 2015, ad spend on this platform will reach $894 million, up from $87 million in 2010.