There is a world beyond our screens, and the latest technology has given us options to cross that threshold to live and perform daily activities like business meetings, trading, social gathering, and others through that. This tech is way beyond Virtual Reality, as you can interact with others through it as well. Since the crypto boom, this is the next big update in the tech world.
People think that this concept of the “Digital World” started by the name of Metaverse, but it happened way before that. Linden Lab’s “Second Life” achieved this feat in 2003 by creating a digital world so people could escape the real one. But why did it fail, and what did this current Metaverse do differently that Second Life couldn’t do? Let’s find out.
Second Life – A Virtual Escape
In 2003, Second Life was created as a means of escapism. It is a three-dimensional digital environment in which individuals can develop avatars and converse with one another. It seems similar to the game “The Sims,” but its creator strictly said that “Second Life is anything but a game.”
The main aim was to connect people across borders and free them from the shackles of society. People created their avatars however they liked, and they interacted with whomever they wanted to. Some even married and raised their families through the platform of Second Life. It changed the world we lived in and helped people connect without any interruptions.
Facts About Second Life
Second Life is still available to download with over 70 Million registered accounts. It didn’t get as much coverage as Meta but Second Life still gets 350,000 new users every month. That’s an average of 200,000 daily users from 200 countries. Its GDP is around $600 million and still growing. Here are some interesting Second Life facts you may not be aware of.
You Can Do Anything
As said before, Second Life is not a game. People here have raised families and stuff. So, you can interact with other people, manage business meetings, and do trade, among other things. People are even famous for certain tasks like in-game photography and are hired whenever needed as a source of employment.
Visit Multiple Worlds
They are called Grids, and you can perform different tasks/activities here while meeting and chatting with people. Two official grids, Agni and Aditi, are open to the general public, while the rest are restricted. The Main Grid is where all the action happens, and the second one, called the Beta Grid, is made to test the platform before moving toward Agni.
Get Its Access through “Viewers”
Apps that let you run the software and access everything in Second Life are known as “Viewers,” and there are many of them. The one that is officially made is mostly free. From its stats, you can see that many third-party Viewers get more customization and make SL free of cost.
A $600 Million GDP
As recent as 2021, Second Life had an astounding revenue of $600 million. It isn’t a game with in-app purchases, but it is one of the biggest apps to generate this kind of revenue. As people are interested in the idea of escapism, Second Life’s economy is cementing its place by earning all the money from subscription fees.
Final Words
Second Life didn’t reach its peak popularity because of poor security systems. It was constantly attacked by viruses and malware, which also put the user’s data at risk. People started to misuse the platform to promote the wrong stuff, and there was no stopping them. Second Life’s management had to delete those accounts to maintain peace.
After the dropping out of Philip Rosedale from his position, Second Life couldn’t survive. The prices of subscriptions and the properties inside the game were raised, which created a backlash. People ceased their usage as their interest was diverted towards the current Metaverse, which provided everything Second Life couldn’t.
