Archive for 'Virtual Business, Finance and Economics'
Op-Ed: Greenspanning the Grid
by Walker Spaight Hamlet Linden had the first of a two-part interview (or, more than one part, anyway) with Philip Linden yesterday on the recent economic changes in Second Life that’s certainly worth reading — though we find there’s not much new there that hasn’t already appeared on the forums and in meetings with Robin [...]
Full StoryOp/Ed: Business Girl vs. Griefer Kin
by A Concerned Reader Like her or dislike her, Anshe Chung is one of the richest and most famous (or infamous) people in Second Life. So when she posted in the SL forums complaining about the actions of her W-Hat neighbors in Baku where she had just bought land, there were some predictable jeers, but [...]
Full StoryThe Human Face of Economic Change
Orhalla Zander: victim of recent economic changesphoto by Herald Paparazza Miravoir Psaltry Miravoir Psaltry ran across this poor victim of the recent economic upheavals in Second Life. The plight of Orhalla Zander reminds us that while the Linden Lab game devs sup on caviar and toast points in the Company Cafeteria, not everyone is so [...]
Full StorySL Residents Riot Over Proposed Stipend Cuts
Actually, it was more of a loud kvetchy protest, but if the incident in A Tale in the Dessert counts as a riot, then this does too, and then some. Yesterday, at least six protest events were held by my count, and a town meeting with Robin Linden had to be moved to a larger [...]
Full StoryGOM’s Zeppi Schlegel: This bodes well for the future
GOM strike price for Linden Dollars While residents of Second Life are generally opposed to the Linden’s new restrictive monetary policy, Gaming Open Market’s Zeppi Schlegel (aka Jamie Hale) thinks it is a good idea in principle, and he thinks that their execution of the policy is not that bad either. (Club owners will survive [...]
Full StoryA False Economy? Lindens Fight for Economic Stability
by Matthias Zander Bonus decreases. Ratings price hikes. Event support disappearances. These three things that could be seen as catastrophies are the Lindens’ latest solution to the less-than-beautiful economy of Second Life. Robin Linden took the time to speak to a crowd of around 100 SL residents onthe afternoon of January 11.
Full StoryEditorial: Raise Taxes, But Do It Right
by the SL Herald editorial board Philip Linden is well intentioned, but he needs to put his money supply where his mouth is. Tightening SL monetary policy to stem a declining exchange rate and fight property price inflation is a good idea. Unfortunately, the measures announced by Linden early Tuesday morning in one Second Life [...]
Full StoryIn the Belly of the Beast
CMU Researcher Randy Pausch Academic Randy Pausch has provided a rare look into the workings of EA Corporation in a recent paper entitled “An Academic’s Field Guide to Electronic Arts“. The paper is based on Pausch’s residency at EA and is intended as a sympathetic portrait — designed specificially to help academic institutions to build [...]
Full Story100 million? 880 million? More?
Ok, the market in Simoleans, Linden Dollars, Hammers of Kick Ass, and whatnot are big — we knew that — but just how big. Just a couple days ago The New Scientist ran an article quoting Ted Castronova as putting the world wide sales of game currency etc. at 100 million (and also quoting some [...]
Full StoryItem Farming is Big Big Business. Is it Good for the Game too?
We know about the dealers in rare pets and cannons on tso, and we know that some dealers make a pretty penny at it, but what of games with lots of players like Lineage (with over a million subscribers)? Well, a recent article in Newsweek International, puts the revenue generated by sales of game objects [...]
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