Gamertell

The question of Second Life‘s popularity is one I have frequently mused over as I have examined this alternate online universe. While the premise behind Second Life is a noble one, allowing individuals and companies to grow themselves in an alternate universe, the results thus far have not always been positive; companies have slowly begun to abandon Second Life as a viable means of dissipating information.

Reuters, a large and international real-world news service had previously set up an office within Second Life but has since decided to summarily abandon their virtual branch there. According to 1UP, a spokeswoman for Reuters said that the service would only remain there “as part of their usual tech and media coverage.”

The news service has chosen to discontinue its tenure there after a mere two years of activity. The last time Reuters made an entry was on September 30, 2008.

Reuters’s departure strikes a significant blow to the heart of the Second Life, which is understandably doing its best to present itself as a universe where individuals can both escape from the realities of their first life and become truly immersed in an alternate universe.

GamePolitics references the opinions of individuals from Reuters who worked in the Second Life universe. One of them, Eric Krangel, made it clear to the Silicon Valley Insider that he is not sure what else Second Life needs to do in order to make themselves expand their audience there.

Of course, it remains to be seen just what will happen to Second Life. However, one entity should become very concerned about its fate, and that entity is Sony. After all, if Second Life fails, what might that mean to Sony’s Home?

Site [Reuters/Second Life] Read [1UP] Also Read [Gamepolitics] Via [Silicon Valley Insider]