Mainstream media no longer suppressing Second Life affairs

[Triforcer]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/11/14/second.life.divorce/index.html

Front, top-page link on cnn.com ...why does the mainstream media keep breathlessly reporting everything to do with Second Life?  For how many years can it continually blow their minds?  

[Venkman]

Used to be good PR from LL.

Now it's just because it's about the only successful virtual world out there, though of course it's really just a big fish in a really small pond. Plenty of virtual worlds, but none approach SL in size from what I can tell. That side of the persistent world technology medium is still waiting for its Blizzard while still being dominated by its SOE circa 2001.

It's also easy to report on because it's got that proper combination of anonymous people, geek, and fully customizable experience that is absolutely guaranteed to feed a FUD or mock-from-afar narrative.

[Sir T]

Only in Second Life can you buy/get a penis that really works.

That pretty much explains a lot of the fascination right there.

And no that was not supposed to be in green.

[Numtini]

I was surprised to see it. The hype engine has definitely toned down for SL. In particular, companies are just not buying in anymore after dozens figured out there was no there there.

[Venkman]

I get the sense that companies recognized two things:

1) To operate a store there requires at least some amount of person-time effort be made.
2) The world is an abject mess that almost in no way funnels players to where you need them to be to conduct commerce in a way that mimics the real world. Yes, also like UO and SWG.

Solving both of those problems would alienate the base of SL players, who seem to mostly there to live the sort of experimental lifestyle only possible in an anonymous virtual space. There just aren't enough people like that to make SL much more popular than it is.

[Venkman]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/11/14/second.life.divorce/index.html

Front, top-page link on cnn.com ...why does the mainstream media keep breathlessly reporting everything to do with Second Life?  For how many years can it continually blow their minds?  

It's about time Reuters decided Second Life is Old News.

You may recall that around two years ago, the Reuters news service decided to open up its own in-game news bureau in the virtual world of Second Life. Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime even did an interview with Reuters in the virtual news bureau.

Now, however, Reuters is pulling the plug on Second Life. According to reports in The Register and Guardian, Reuters has officially pulled its embedded reporter "Adam Reuters" (real name Adam Pasick) out of Second Life. "We're still reporting on Second Life, but only as part of our usual tech and media coverage," explained a Reuters spokesperson.

[Merusk]

Someone figured out Mr. Pasick had conned them into subsidizing his hobby AND letting him play during working hours.

[kildorn]

"Taylor is now in a new relationship with a man she met in the online roleplaying game World of Warcraft."

I'm sensing a TREND.

[Nerf]

I bet they would have stayed married if they had a sex ramp.