Webware 100 winner: Gaia Online

Gaia Online is a mix of social networking and massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG). Users can create their own avatars, then earn money for them by playing games and interacting with the virtual world. Gaia also includes its own marketplace, driven by a micro economy among its members. The natural appeal of the site is due both to community and the built-in rewards system for participation.

Gaia Online was founded in 2003, and it has more than 300,000 active users daily. In addition to the games, Gaia Online also has active forums that are in part for fun, but also are an integral element to the plot and progression of Gaia Online's plotline. Since launch, the forums have been host to more than a billion member posts.

Winner: Gaia Online (GaiaOnline.com)
Category: Social