It’s been a minute since I’ve published a “News Recap” blog post, but I was finally able to go back in time and catch up with the news since the Holidays are well behind us. Is the Uplift to the Cloud finally done? What is Linden Lab® up to these days? Jump in for a quick read and find out what may be ahead for Second Life® in 2021.
New Year, New Owners
This new ownership came at no surprise for many of us — back in July 9, 2020, Linden Lab® announced its upcoming acquirement by an investment group led by Randy Waterfield and Brad Oberwager:
“Linden Research, Inc., announced in a press release dated July 9, 2020, it has signed an agreement to be acquired by “an investment group led by Randy Waterfield and Brad Oberwager.“ Jyve CEO and Founder Brad Oberwager and Waterfield Group CEO and Chairman Randy Waterfield will soon join the Board of Directors of Linden Research, Inc. The buyout will include Second Life® and the Linden Lab®'s wholly-owned subsidiary, Tilia™.”
News Recap: Linden Research, Inc., to be Acquired by Investors; SL Renaissance Festival kicking off Sept. 25 - Huzzah!
The process has been completed and Linden Lab® is now under new ownership, but what does it mean for Second Life®?
If you are not familiar in how corporate America works, allow me give you my two cents on this subject since I’ve been part of the world of corporations for several years. A change in management is usually followed by changes in staff; in the upcoming months, we may see new Lindens joining, some leaving the team, and new ideas coming to life including a change in membership, land fees and whatever fees that keeps the business booming. Only time will tell what the new Board of Directors has reserved for us, but overall I think this is a much needed change to take Second Life® to the next level—and we sure need it.
We, Second Life® residents, would rejoice to see further improvements to this platform we are yet to witness, and if this translates in an increase on fees, so be it. Not wanting to sound like a broken record, combat in Second Life® is the number one priority on the list of so many role-players in the grid— although we have seen improvements over the years, lag continues to be an issue for many of us. Mesh parts are great, but what’s next? Generally speaking, our content has looked the same since at least 2008, the year I joined this virtual world. Not long ago, I asked a friend to come back to Second Life® for the first time after 8 years, and to my surprise, her reaction made me pause: “Wow, this all looks the same,” she said by pointing out how she couldn’t tell a difference from an old system avatar to a new avatar wearing the best mesh bits marketplace has to offer. Yes, she is right, and yes, this may be concerning. If Second Life® wants to continue to be a profitable business for many years to come, it needs to evolve to a better, bigger virtual world that can persuade new players and satisfy the local residents appetite to stick around for many years.
About Linden Lab® - New Board of Directors Biography
The Year of COVID-19 in Second Life®
Many businesses have closed their doors last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but 2020 was kind to Second Life®. As many of us started a new way of life in the comfort of our homes, people engaged in a number of online activities being one of them, spending time playing in our virtual world. On Twitter, Tyche Shepherd reported a 3.3% private region growth mainly generated by returning users or longer online sessions. In addition, Linden™ Home regions were also part of a successful 2020. Released in the end of December 2020, the brand-new Stilt homes are now part an impressive list of options featuring other models such as Traditional, Houseboats, Victorian and Log homes. Residents love these themed Linden homes and regions, and they have become so popular that Linden Lab® has a hard time to keep up with the demand. Kudos to the marketing team for this particular success, you guys did this!
Second Life® is officially in the Cloud
On Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, Linden Lab® announced the successful transition of all services and databases to Amazon’s cloud services (AWS). Check out the announcement HERE, watch the old servers being properly disposed and a photo of the—now empty—location which accommodated the old machines for years. Pretty cool!
"Jade" Skin from WoW Skins (Free - Group Gift. Group Fee: L$199)
"Vesper - Variety" Hair from Stealthic (L$400)
"Hotaru" Outfit from Kegel Clothing (L$250 - Unik Event. Includes Armband, Ornament, Skirt and Top for Maitreya)
"Doubloon" Body Chain and Navel Piercing from Static (L$112 - We <3 Role-play Event *December Edition - Event Still Open*. Includes Body Chain for Freya, Maitreya, Jake, and Legacy. Includes Texture HUD with 5 Metal Texture Options and On/Off Options for Navel Piercing)
"Renee" Pose Pack from NinaX (Free - Group Gift)
Location: Mount Campion Caves National Forest
Second Life®, Tilia™ and Linden Lab® are trademarks of Linden Research, Inc.
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