second life comes to life

01/23/2006 07:10:00 AM
Second Life is becoming the poster child of massive multiplayer online gaming. Some analysts believe that that soon everyone will have virtual life. However, although large numbers of people participate in these games, they have been pretty invisible in popular culture.

However, in January of this year that changed, when two cultural icons on different sides of the Atlantic brought Second Life into their lives.

The first was the UK's well-known TV journalist, Jeremy Paxman who created an exact replica of his tv studio in Second Life for his Newsnight show. Here in the United States, famed free culture lawyer, Lawrence Lessig gave a presentation in Second Life.

These acts gave high-level exposure to a virtual world unknown by many. Perhaps Letterman or Conan might be next, but more likely is an increased development of the idea of virtual worlds.

Software developers and companies developing social networks will start to incorporate the option for people to enter and interact in virtual worlds, in ways that go beyond current IM and email communication.

In the future, advertisers might create these worlds and even encourage their customers to inhabit them and interact with potential prospects.
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