"Second Life" memberships now free.

[Shockeye]

'Second Life' membership now free
Published: September 8, 2005, 3:25 PM PDT
By Daniel Terdiman
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Linden Lab, maker of the popular virtual world "Second Life," is making membership to its metaverse free.

The company said that because free membership will likely prompt a significant number of people to join Second Life, revenue from virtual land the new members buy will probably make up for the loss of subscription fees.

"We're going to make more because some of the people who wouldn't have otherwise signed up are going to buy land," Linden Lab CEO Philip Rosedale said this week.

Previously, Linden Lab charged a one-time $10 fee for membership.

Rosedale said the company hopes a lot of new members will buy Lindenbucks, the online game's in-world currency, which ultimately ends up in the hands of members who create vehicles, buildings, clothing and other virtual goods. Some of that money, in turn, would then be spent on land, further bolstering Linden Lab's bottom line.

"Second Life" is a completely open-ended virtual world in which members can create nearly anything they can imagine and have the 3D modeling skills to build. Anything they create in-world can be sold, often for significant amounts of money.

The company said there are more than $18 million worth of virtual "Second Life" goods sold each year.

Currently, Rosedale said, "Second Life" has 45,000 members and is growing at about 10 percent a month. There are now more than 16,000 acres of owned land in the virtual world, and new land sells for about $129. Users must pay a fee of about $25 a month to maintain their land. Thus, Linden Lab is earning about $400,000 a month without ever factoring in membership fees.

So you get into the game for free, but to own land you have to drop $129, then $25 a month for upkeep? I'll pass, thanks.

[Merusk]

From what I recall looking at it a few weeks ago, "land" is a fairly sizable portion of the gamespace.  I think the price is meant as a deterrant to keep everyone from owning a piece and turning the landscape into SWG or UO, and it's really only meant for the hardc0re.  Scripting and designing is still open to everyone, you just can't build a huge bondage castle or furry yiff-yard without owning land... and really the fewer of those the better.

[angry.bob]

The cost and upkeep of the land is entirely dependant on the size of the plot, the location, and whether you're buting it from another player or buying a sim to reparcel. Their figures are pretty much pulled out of their ass. Unless they've completely changed how the real estate market works in SL since 2:30am this morning. Which they didn't.

[stray]

Unless they've completely changed how the real estate market works in SL since 2:30am this morning. Which they didn't.

Why am I not surprised that you play Second Life?

[Numtini]

They give you a tiny plot of free land and the basic account that lets you own it is 22.5/quarter, but that account also includes L$500/week, which at current market value can be sold for $22.65

Unfortunately, unless you're one of the professional designers, there's not much to the game other than cyber.

[tazelbain]

So you get into the game for free, but to own land you have to drop $129, then $25 a month for upkeep? I'll pass, thanks.

I would hope there'd be fun things to do beside own land.

They make their money from selling currency and a tax on property finally "spends" the money?
It there still a stipend for all players?


I might be tempted to try it for free, but I doubt I'll like it.  Not really a social gamer, but item scripting might be my thing though.

Anyway, any removal of a barrier to entry is a good thing. Can't imagine they were making much money on that $10 fee.

[Samwise]

They give you a tiny plot of free land and the basic account that lets you own it is 22.5/quarter, but that account also includes L$500/week, which at current market value can be sold for $22.65

Wait wait wait... so a premium subscription pays for itself several times over if you just sell off your stipend?  That can't be right.  How are people not just buying lots of accounts, hooking them all directly up to IGE, and retiring?

[stray]

Just wondering...Does Second Life use one big/clustered server, or are there multiple ones? Wtf is up with these prices?

[Bunk]

The market for the L$ seems to stay pretty even with what you get on your weekly stipned. In otherwords, if you payed a year up front and then sold off all the money you made each week, you'd proffit about $2 a year. Whee.

Yes, I have a dinky little 50 square m plot somewhere in that mess that I use for fiddling with the 3d design tools. As long as I don't buy more land, it won't ever cost me anything beyond the ~$70 I paid up front for one year.

I blame you guys for this by the way. I'd never heard of the game until it was brought up here.

Seems to be two very diametricaly opposed groups in the game. One group that plays with designing, scripting, making games, etc. And one group that watches thier avatars dance in "nightclubs" and then go SeXXor. Meh, each to thier own. Oh yea, then there's some island full of furrys. Yea.

One real positive about Second life for me. They call thier avatars, get this... Avatars! Not goddamn "toons" or some other stupid as name the people have made up for them. (Sometimes little things just irk me. "Toons" is one of them)

[Numtini]

They give you a tiny plot of free land and the basic account that lets you own it is 22.5/quarter, but that account also includes L$500/week, which at current market value can be sold for $22.65

Wait wait wait... so a premium subscription pays for itself several times over if you just sell off your stipend?  That can't be right.  How are people not just buying lots of accounts, hooking them all directly up to IGE, and retiring?

Oh I worded that really badly didn't I? I meant that over three months it comes enough to sell for about the same as the subscription price. So the subscription is essentially free. Except you're probably going to spend the money if you actually play. Cause you'll need the furry S&M costumes and "poses" and "animations" for the sexxor if you want to fit in.

[Samwise]

Okay, that makes much more sense, and my faith in the universe is restored now.  Thanks.   

[HaemishM]

Oh yea, then there's some island full of furrys. Yea.

Can I build a bomb that torches the island, then sends an electric shock back to the island's inhabitants rendering them sterile? Cos, you know, that'd be better for the world than one more bumpfuzzling vole-fucking castle.

[schild]

I think Haemish should actually finally review one of these alternate reality sort of games, because reallly - they need some bile and well, Second Life might be the ugliest thing to ever make money. I must know why.

[HaemishM]

ARE YOU THREATENING ME!?!?!

[schild]

ARE YOU THREATENING ME!?!?!

You need TP for your bunghole.

[sinij]

Can I buy some f13.net property so I can put my virtual trailer on it and sit in a rocking chair with a shot gun in hand and make sure that 'them tresspassers ain't coming no mo' . I promise to shoot Bruce or WUA on sight.

[schild]

I'm still waiting for some progressive soul to change the world forever by putting on a feature-length reenactment of Deliverance in one of these games.

[Yegolev]

Second Life might be the ugliest thing to ever make money. I must know why.

It's the furry freak cyber HQ, that's why.  You can do sanctioned stuff in SL that will get you /reported or banned in any other game.  Wanna make a tree with a gaping vagina and have your ridiculous blue-skinned avatar hump it all day while people pay to watch?  Purchase a plot and rent out your horses?  For sex?  It's wide open, baby.

I might say ATITD is uglier but that's a pointless discussion.

Regarding their infrastructure, I read an article on perhaps gamasutra that indicated squares of land are individual linux boxes which are connected to four others.  Travel north and you cross a line onto another box which is aware of four others.

[WindupAtheist]

You're all missing the point.

1 - Download Second Life
2 - Create free account
3 - Script a bazooka that launches shit
4 - Grief furry sex parties until banned

[WayAbvPar]

You're all missing the point.

1 - Download Second Life
2 - Create free account
3 -Script a bazooka that launches shit fetuspult
4 - Grief furry sex parties until banned

[WindupAtheist]

3 -Script a bazooka that launches shit fetuspult

Brilliant!

Look newbs, it's got the three F's.  It's free, it's full of furries, and it will let you build your own fetuspult.  If anyone reading this hasn't been banned from Second life come a week from now, I'll goddamn well want to know why.

[Jain Zar]

But can we actually harm the furry folk?
If there is actual avatar damage modelling I want a chainsaw, a hockey mask, and an account.  (In game of course.  Out of game furry abuse should be handled by a professional, like Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.)

[WindupAtheist]

In a PVP+ zone, you can kill someone, causing them to respawn at their home.  (Or presumably some pre-set bind point for those who don't own land.  I don't know exactly.)  You can't deplete other players health in a non-PVP zone, but certain laws of physics are still in effect.  When my brother played, he had what he called "the block foot."  It was a large invisible block equipped to the avatar's foot and used via a kicking animation.  When a kick landed, the force was sufficient to punt someone across a zone.  Then there were the "lag mines" that spewed so many layers of smoke that they'd choke the CPU of anyone in the vicinity when they went off.

But really, it's perfectly possible to splash Tubgirl onto a 40-foot billboard and park it on top of someone's house.  What's a little PVP compared to that?

[Sunbury]

It may be 'free' but they still want your credit card number to have a look see --- no thank you.

[HRose]

I liked it a lot when I tried it about a year ago. But without broadband you cannot do much.

It has a lot of potential, though. I love messing with toolsets and worldbuilders.