Worksheet
Second life
Why should the business world take notice of the goings-on in the virtual world, Second Life?
- What do you know about the web-site ‘Second Life’? Discuss your answer with a partner.
- Read the article and complete the Fact File on Second Life below.
‘Second Life’: Fact File
Year founded: / Transactions (Jan. 2006)
Founded by: / Users (last year)
Currency: / Users (current)
- Podcast transcript.
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Copyright Barney Barrett and Pete Sharma.
Worksheet
Virtual business in a virtual world
Businesses across the globe are sitting up and taking notice of Second Life, a virtual world on the Internet. Why? Because virtual worlds could offer a way for businesses to test new ideas in a safe environment. They could provide opportunities in areas such as training, product design, marketing and projects involving cross-border collaboration. In Second Life, you can test drive a virtual Toyota car, buy virtual footwear from Adidas or hold a virtual meeting.
Second Life was set up in 2003 by software company Linden Labs. It is a multiplayer gaming environment that is modelled on the real world. Players create everything in this virtual world, trading with each other using "Linden dollars", the game's currency. Yet some aspects of this environment are real. Players can convert their ‘play’ money into U.S. dollars, at an exchange rate of about 300 to the dollar. This virtual economy allows players to build something, sell it and make a profit: just like in the real world! In January last year, Second Life saw people take part in over 4 million transactions buying or selling buildings, clothes and other objects created by players. This figure is set to grow rapidly. A year ago, there were about 20,000 people using Second Life. This figure has already exceeded 2 million.
Businesses are now taking notice. IBM, for example, has used Second Life for virtual meetings. In the same way, companies have the potential to bring together participants from all over the world for training courses. Many educational organizations are already exploring ways that Second Life can be used to promote learning. A chain of hotels has made virtual models of future hotels, showing that the corporate world can test consumer reactions in a risk-free environment. One US clothes company, American Apparel, is now selling digital versions of clothes which it markets in real life. However, while big business is just starting to arrive in Second Life, some entrepreneurial players are already making virtual fortunes. So, perhaps one day soon this type of virtual world will become an extension of the real business world. Does anyone fancy a game of virtual golf?
This page has been downloaded from
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages.
Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited 2006.
Worksheet
Glossary:VirtualNot real
Avatar: a picture on a computer screen that represents a person
- Discussion questions:
- What do you think about the concept of ‘Second Life’?
- Have you ever visited a ‘Virtual World’? If not, would you like to?
- Are there any ways in which ‘Second Life’ or virtual reality could be beneficial to your own company?
This page has been downloaded from
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages.
Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited 2005.