Turns out there’s more to Second Life than arguing how many “people” are there. Showtime’s The L Word is heading to Linden Lab’s virtual world, promising “a virtual reality world inspired by the show,” including a virtual cafe, amphitheater, and dance club. According to the release, “Stores with virtual merchandise available for purchase for users to customize their avatars.” For those new to Second Life, you’ll see “a customized registration and orientation experience that is catered to fans of The L Word, teaching new users the basics of Second Life and easing their transition to the virtual world.”
Showtime is far from alone in trying to market inside Second Life. Everyone from IBM to American Apparel has taken the virtual plunge, and, according to Revolution magazine, Vodafone is next. Revolution says Vodafone will “launch its Vodafone Island in ‘Second Life’ next month [and] create handsets enabling users to contact each other in the game.” It doesn’t say when the latter will happen. Universal is getting into the crowded world, too. Clay Shirky and others may argue over whether Second Life is filled with paying players, but it is surely stuffed with marketers. Ad Week reports on a game inside the game to promote the Universal film Smokin’ Aces.
And, as if to emphasize the unrealistic expectations being dropped on virtual worlds by a different set of marketers, The Huffington Post reports that part of the World Economic Forum in Davos, a place and event in which everyone is seen and little is accomplished (like many online worlds), will take place in the virtual world. Rita King’s posting on The Huffington Post delivers the usual maxims about Second Life and will help those not paying attention over the past two months to catch up on what people have been yelling about.
Finally, for those of you who actually visit Second Life, Macworld runs an interview with a Linden Lab VP in which he discusses the ramifications of making the world’s source code available via open source and promises “improved search and audio.” Improved search!
RELATED
–Linden Lab Releases Real Numbers for Virtual World
–Second Life Fends Off Another In-game Attack
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