What's the Deal With Second Life?

Posted by Robert Janelle Mar 7, 2007

Open a newspaper during any given week and odds are, there are stories about Second Life, an online game that you'd think is a massive craze, given the amount of coverage it gets.

In fact, the Reuters wire service even has a full-time reporter in the game who reports strictly on the goings-ons of that online world.

Heck, even I've written about it. But the truth is, I don't really play it. Neither does anyone I know.

So why is it such a big deal in the media?

The truth is, I don't really know.

My only guess is that it has something to do with the high-profile users. Corporations have set up virtual offices to advertise online and press conferences have been held within the virtual world.

In fact, John Edwards, whose running for the leadership of the Democratic party, has a virtual campaign office in the game (which was recently vandalized.)

The Second Life website states that there are more than 4.3 million residents in the virtual world, but only slightly less than 1.6 million have been active within the past 60 days.

By contrast, Blizzard Entertainment announced in January that World of Warcraft had more than 8 million players.

So, what I don't understand is why someone like John Edwards doesn't go where there's a bigger audience. He could even hire a power-leveling company to get his character to level 70 (though I'm sure his campaign supporters would be willing to take care of this for him.)

Now, imagine this. Edwards holds a press conference inside WoW. Standing a tree stump, his avatar delivers his message to level one reporters who are playing the game for the first time.

Suddenly, a giant ogre shows up, threatening to take down the inexperienced press. But Edwards whips out his Grand Marshall ax and makes quick work of the beast. After serious leveling up and gaining some leet gear, he could've even fought off Republican vandals and their "feces-spewing obscenity" single-handedly.

Think about the story THAT would make!