Last week we had an opportunity to attend a seminar hosted by the Association of Internet Marketing and Sales (AIMS) about the growing phenomenon of Second Life (SL) and what the advent of virtual worlds means to marketers.
What is Second Life?
 Attending a Q&A Event in Second Life |
Second Life is an Internet based, 3-D virtual world developed by Linden Lab. Although it is Linden Lab that is supplying the framework SL is a vast, ever changing and expanding virtual world created by its residents.
More than just a game, Second Life has similarities to massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) but it is more than a game. In fact, hard core Second Lifers don’t like referring to SL as a game at all. The distinction is a game can be loosely defined as a recreational activity involving one or more players and is structured with challenges to overcome and defined goals to achieve. While there are games to be played within Second Life, Second Life itself can’t be ‘won’ like a traditional game. So what is Second Life? I would define it advanced social networking.
The New Wild West
| Numbers to note: (As of 3:00pm March 28, 2007) |
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| Total Residents: | 5,051,092 |
| Online Now: | 31,380 |
| LindeX Activity Last 24h: | $217,432 |
| See Seond Life Economic Stats | |
People are streaming into Second Life. With thousands of residents joining each day this new frontier is beginning to quickly populate and evolve. The total number of SL residents hit 5 million this week. With outlaws (called Greifers), sheriffs (Second Life Abuse Team) land barons, business men, brothel owners and all the regular folk in between,SL truly is the new wild west of the Internet where the possibilities for marketers are only limited to the imagination.
Part of a three article series discussing Second Life:
Part One: Second Life – The Wild West of Internet Marketing
Part Two: Second Life - A Closer Look “In World”
Part Three: Second Life - Who’s Marketing “In World”