Second Life - Virtual as Reality

Marketing Director Glenn Fisher

idea since 1999 launch in July 2003. Second Life is not a game, there are no rules other than the TOS. Think Metaverse or Virtual World.

Three key elements:

- community: avatars signal identity expression and forms the basis for personal interaction
- user created content: everything from houses to animations to objects you encounter including owning the IP of what u make
- marketplace: transactions amongst residents drive a thriving economy

Right now there is 95 square miles of Second Life, roughly the same size as many US cities

There are 1.5 million as of October, due to cross 2 Million in the next week or so. More than 900 events that go on every day - social events, orientation events, parties, garage sales, education. Almost one million trades during the week of October.

43% female usage, median age 32 and 55% are international. 18-24 is the largest age segment. More than USD$7mi is changing hands each month, and more than half of that is purchasing objects.

Around 7000 businesses in Second Life - we think - measured as people trading with net positive cashflows of Linden Dollars. Top 10 businesses have a monthly growth of $25K. Most people just making a bit of money off it but nothing like these numbers.

People inside 2L spend a lot of time interacting with other people. There are many regular social organisations but also other support organisations e.g. the American Cancer Society opened an office in Second Life

The Shelter is a place where some residents created a space for newbies to get help. (Demo is running slowly, had to quit and restart)

Trinity College in Dublin - was built by a displaced Dubliner. He hired someone to take 6000 photos of downtown Dublin and this has become a good place for people to hang out.

Many people come into Second Life because of exposure through media, through friends. People stay for a couple of reasons it is like going to a new city ... work out where you want to hang out, where to buy clothes etc. After that point they have almost 100% retention. Wow.

The second reason people come is because it is a place to create virtual objects because the tools are built in.

Some people come in because it is an opportunity to create a business.

Mostly though it is because people come to Second Life to be able to create a vision of who they want to be.