“Second Life,” the digital world created by Linden Lab, is celebrating its 20th anniversary on June 23rd. Despite its age, the platform continues to attract 750,000 users each month and has a total of 73 million user accounts. Linden Lab plans to further develop “Second Life” and is working on a mobile version of the game.
“Second Life” serves as a virtual escape for many players while also being a thriving marketplace. With over one and a half million transactions completed daily on the Second Life marketplace, the virtual economy is valued at $650 million. The platform’s economy is fueled by goods and services created by community members, a concept that Meta’s VR world “Horizon Worlds” is also adopting.
The concept of the Metaverse, which Meta is currently emphasizing, is closely aligned with the features of “Second Life.” Mark Zuckerberg’s vision of the Metaverse includes its own economy, social connections, and virtual avatars, all of which are already present in “Second Life.” As Meta’s newest projects are compared to popular games like “Fortnite” and “Roblox,” “Second Life” remains the benchmark for the Metaverse, even though it is not officially playable in VR.
Philip Rosedale, the creator of “Second Life,” reflected on the platform’s anniversary and stated that their initial goal was to provide positive and enriching experiences for players. He believes that while other companies are trying to achieve the same, none of them have come close to building a world like “Second Life.”
As “Second Life” reaches this significant milestone, it continues to demonstrate its endurance and relevance in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
