Businesses and organizations in Second Life
In the virtual world of Second Life, there are a number of in-world business and user-groups founded specifically for the game, some of which have become legal entities in their own right, as well as preexisting companies and organizations that have involved themselves in the world.
Overview
In the virtual world of Second Life, there are a number of in-world business and user-groups founded specifically for the game, some of which have become legal entities in their own right, as well as preexisting companies and organizations that have involved themselves in the world.
Originating from Second Life
These businesses and organizations are legally registered or recognized entities created specifically for Second Life. Groups affiliated with preexisting organizations are in the Operated inside Second Life section.
Aimee Weber Studio
Aimee Weber Studio Inc. has provided services for several real-world business, including National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United Nations, American Cancer Society, American Apparel, Warner Bros., NBC and Save the Children.
Anshe Chung Studios
Anshe Chung is the main avatar (online personality) of Ailin Graef in the online world Second Life. Referred to as the "Rockefeller of Second Life" by a CNN journalist, she has built an online business that engages in development, brokerage, and arbitrage of virtual land, items, and currencies, and has been featured in a number of prominent magazines such as Business Week, Fortune and Red Herring.
Exakt – Made in Sweden
EXAKT - Made in Sweden is run by Tina Bergman since February 2005. It specializes in lighting and in 50-60 style of architecture. It is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Second Life Left Unity
Second Life Left Unity (SLLU) is an international socialist and anti-capitalist organisation which operates entirely within Second Life. Originally established by members of the Scottish Socialist Party, and other left activists, it challenged the Front National when it attempted to establish a base within the virtual reality world, demanding that they were only allowed to operate in adult areas of the game. More recently it has also supported IBM workers in Italy protesting against low pay.
The Electric Sheep Company
The Electric Sheep Company is a design, building and scripting firm that creates content for three-dimensional online worlds. Originating in Second Life, they have done work on the Virtual Laguna Beach project for MTV, Aloft Hotels, and Sony BMG Music, as well as creating the OnRez version fork of the client software.
World Stock Exchange
World Stock Exchange (WSE) is a virtual securities exchange developed for use in the virtual world of Second Life. The exchange provides Second Life companies with the ability to raise capital from the global investment market using the in-world fictional Linden currency and the new World Internet Currency(WIC). The WSE has been surrounded by controversy since it began operation. Due to the difficulty in regulating "companies" that trade on the exchange, there have been a number of "CEOs" who have run off with IPO funds, leaving investors with nothing. Other issues, such as security and downtime have plagued the exchange, including the theft of funds by an "employee" who "hacked" the system and left with stored funds.
Operated inside Second Life
These are businesses and organizations originating in real life that have operated in Second Life and were not founded specifically for Second Life, but have involved themselves in the world.
0–9
20th Century Fox held a premiere for X-Men: The Last Stand in Second Life.
A–F
ABN AMRO Bank has opened a virtual branch in Second Life. Adidas Reebok have created a permanent presence in Second Life. American Apparel opened a branch inside the virtual world selling digital renderings of clothing modeled after real-life merchandise. American Cancer Society has held a version of its Relay For Life national fundraising event inside Second Life. BBC Radio 1 recreated the 2006 One Big Weekend event on a 64-acre (260,000 m2) virtual island in Second Life. Bigpond has created 11 islands called "The Pond" for their broadband, cable and ADSL members. Centric, an advertising agency based in Los Angeles, opened its Second Life office in October 2006. Centric has also started a de-advertising campaign by buying adspace in Second Life and turning it into public parks. Cisco has a 4-sim presence in Second Life to promote products and demonstrations along with live presentations and was designed by SL Brand. Colonius Colonius, a direct replica of the telecommunications-tower in Cologne, was created by rapidSL Development in Second Life. Creative Commons is building a community in Second Life around Creative Commons licenses and standards through events and projects in the virtual world. Crescendo Design uses Second Life to help clients visualize residential design concepts and to educate them about the value of sustainable design principles. Dell sells PCs in Second Life. depo consulting ltd, a management consultancy specialising in the Internet and new media, were notable in that they closed their physical office to run their business using a Second Life office. Their in-world services have included design, build and events for clients including Field Fisher Waterhouse, Informa and the BBC. They blog on their experiences in Second Life and social media. Disney employed Second Life resident Fizik Baskerville (and others in his team) to create content based on production designer's specs for the films The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Pirates of the Caribbean Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and The Chronicles of Narnia Rheinturm Düsseldorf Tower was created in Second Life by Beatenetworks Endemol has created a version of Big Brother in Second Life. Enel launched its own island in Second Life in July 2007, Enel Park, with power plants projects under construction in real life, moto and racing circuit, movie theater, contest and engaging games, commercial area and offices. Enel Park can show how the future of energy will be and the prospective of a real sustainable development. On the Hydrogen Park, thanks to Enel sponsor of Ducati Bike, all users can drive a moto with the real sound of its engine. Faber Maunsell is an engineering consultancy firm that is currently developing a space within Second Life to be able to display the buildings that they design. Faber Maunsell is also looking to use Second Life as a marketing tool. Forward Together, the PAC headed by former Virginia Governor Mark Warner, is integrating Second Life into its campaign strategy.
G–L
Property Solutions created the Gabetti Island containing the company Headquarters and a perfect replica of one of the houses they sell in Real Life (RL): the aim of the presence is communicate the brand in foreign markets and develop a virtual business strategy by buying, selling and intermediating digital real estate properties. Graphico are a creative digital design and development agency that works with clients at strategic levels for their direct digital marketing needs with solutions that leverage web, mobile and Second Life technologies. Hard To Find has launched the world's first DJ Equipment megastore HTFR within Second Life. A virtual representation of its real world store, it contains a wide range of vinyl, DJ equipment and accessories for users of Second Life to not only look at but to also purchase. The aim is to not only bring HTFR to a wider worldwide audience, who may not be able to visit their real world store in Birmingham, UK. But to also give like minded DJs a haven to meet up and chat in. Harvard Law School and Harvard Extension School offered a course called "CyberOne: Law in the Court of Public Opinion" within Second Life in 2006. IBM met in Second Life in 2006 to discuss the effects of Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) on business. The initial forays into SL were driven by a group in the UK called Eightbar. A team of IBMers led by Ian Hughes (aka epredator) and algernon spackler (Andrew Reynolds) working out of IBM Hursley near Winchester. Other IBM companies joined SL, such as IBM Italia, founded by avatar Eadoin Welles. Imperial College London (ICL) developed a virtual hospital and a series of documentary films (machinima) that describe what healthcare of the future could look like from the patient's perspective. The design of the virtual hospital campus, Second Health, is based on the principles and recommendations outlined in the Healthcare for London: A Framework for Action. This work was initially managed by Dave Taylor at NPL who subsequently moved to ICL, where the Medical Media and Design Lab continue to undertake research to evaluate the effectiveness of this new medium for public engagement, collaboration, professional education and patient information and safety in the National Health Service. ING Group has established a virtual community with a presence in Second Life, called ourvirtualholland. Leo Burnett Worldwide has established a creative hub in Second Life for globally dispersed staff to interact within. Lichtenstein Creative Media has set up a 16-acre (65,000 m2) virtual broadcasting facility in Second Life, from which it has delivered live radio broadcasts. LTS Productions established a virtual machinima production presence in Second Life in 2006, called Machinima by Silver and Goldie. Institute of Rural Health: Rameshsharma Ramloll, faculty at the Institute of Rural Health at Idaho State University has led the implementation of play2train*, a 32-acre (130,000 m2) virtual environment for emergency preparedness training in Second Life. This project is funded by (Health Resources and Services Administration) HRSA.
Wikipedia contributors · Businesses and organizations in Second Life · revision 1354179340 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Plain text extracted and formatting adapted; tags derived from linked topics.