The world’s top 40 OpenSim-based grids gained over 900 regions over the past month, from 8,626 to 9,533, an increase of more than 10 percent.

As usual, OSGrid was the single biggest gainer, with 609 new regions. The biggest growth was at OSGrid, which gained 847 regions. OSGrid allows anyone to connect a region for free, and also offers an automated region launcher, making it even easier for home-based users to set up their own worlds at no cost.

The grid that showed the single largest percentage point increase was Germany’s Metropolis grid, which increased 50 percent in size, from 118 to 178 regions. France’s FrancoGrid grew 44 percent, from 198 to 285 regions.

Lee Oldrich's hides a Shamrock for the St. Patrick's Day scavenger hunt on OSGrid.

New public grids continue to hit our radar. This month, we begin tracking Tertiary Grid, New Zealand Virtual World Grid, Austia Grid and Psychedelia. We’re no longer tracking OpenLife Grid or Legend City Online, as we haven’t been able to get confirmed region counts for these grids. In addition, OpenLife Grid is not compatible with standard OpenSim and Second Life browsers and has diverged significantly from the standard OpenSim code base. If this changes, we will begin tracking it again.

In other major grid news last month, Virwox has created a new multi-grid virtual currency, Open Metaverse Currency (OMC), which works much like Linden Dollars do on the Second Life grid. OMC even works with hypergrid teleports, allowing users to shop for products across multiple grids — and bring their purchases home with them. Four grids have already signed up with the system, which is free to grid owners, merchants and shoppers — the company makes its money when  the currency is exchanged.  The four grids are GermanGrid, Grid4Us, OpenNeuland, and WilderWesten.

March Region Counts

• OSGrid: 5,485 regions
• ScienceSim: 617 regions
• The New World Grid: 395 regions
• FrancoGrid: 285 regions
• ReactionGrid: 252 regions
• MyOpenGrid: 230 regions
• Cyberlandia: 221 regions
• Open Neuland: 216 regions
• WorldSimTerra: 198 regions
• Meta7 (K-Grid): 186 regions
• Metropolis: 178 regions
• 3rd Rock Grid: 144 regions
• Avatar Hangout: 142 regions
• InWorldz: 130 regions
• Role Play Worlds (formerly Gor Life): 128 regions
• SpotOn 3D: 124 regions
• Grid4Us: 104 regions
• Virtyou: 96 regions
• Twisted Sky: 46 regions
• Pseudospace: 41 regions
• Your Alternative Life: 39 regions
• GiantGrid: 38 regions
• German Grid: 28 regions
• Eden Realm: 26 regions
• ONGENS: 22 regions
• Tertiary Grid: 18 regions
• Unica Universe: 17 regions
• New Zealand Virtual World Grid: 17 regions
• Virtual Univ. of Edinburgh: 14 regions
• V-Business: 13 regions
• UFS Grid (formerly DSGrid): 11 regions
• Tlön : 11 regions
• Jamland: 10 regions
• AnSky: 9 regions
• Open Kansai: 9 regions
• Emerald Network: 9 regions
• Austia Grid: 8 regions
• Wilder Westen: 6 regions
• 2lifeGrid: 5 regions
• Psychedelia: 4 regions

Popularity: 46% [?]

Related posts:

1. OpenSim grids grow 11% since last month
2. Top OpenSim grids set new growth record
3. OSGrid loses regions, other grids continue to grow
4. OpenSim grid growth moving to private grids
5. OpenSim grids resume breakneck growth