Linden Lab’s Second Life
Abstract
In this translation of Astrid Enslin's work, an attempt is made to reflect the ontological status of the virtual gaming platform Second Life (SL) and give it a theoretical basis from the point of view of the imaginary world through such key concepts as virtuality versus reality, subcreativity, narrative, canonicity, and also in the context of the existential triad of invention, completeness and consistency. It assesses the rise and fall of SL as a new media phenomenon in light of its idiosyncratic design elements and philosophy, and considers why SL, as a massively multiplayer online environment, has proven less durable than some other contemporary virtual worlds. SL avatars are aesthetically idealized stylizations of users, and their inner-world functions, appearance and behavioral practices reflect the basic needs of the SL. However, modern ways of using SL may also have become less financially viable for Linden Lab, and that's why the company is looking for new ways to interact with both new and old audiences.
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References
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