For now, the company isn't profitable, and it's not clear
when it will be, said Catherine Smith, Linden Lab's director
of marketing. However, she told CNET News.com that Linden
Lab plans to use its new funding for aggressive
international expansion, as well as hiring intended to boost
its infrastructure.
And while "Second Life" is on many people's lips at any
gathering of video game industry professionals, one thing is
clear: It is not always an easy world for new users to get
into, and its graphics are not up to the level of
competitors like "World of Warcraft" and "There."
Still, virtual world experts are high on "Second Life" and
have mostly been willing to look past its shortcomings
because of the interesting social behaviors in which its
members are often taking part.
And with its new funding, the company may now be able to
address its look and feel and quiet its critics in this
area.
"My guess is they're looking to expand to the next level,"
said Ron Meiners, an expert in virtual worlds and online
games. "They've done some very innovative development thus
far, and this means they can both improve their
infrastructure and prepare to scale to a higher level of
membership."
For now, "Second Life" is hovering around 165,000 users, but
has been on a growth spurt. Still, its membership pales in
comparison with games like Blizzard Entertainment's "World
of Warcraft," which has around 6 million users, each of whom
pay $15 a month to play.
In any case, Smith said Linden Lab's goal is to grow from
its current 70 employees to at least 100, and to produce
new, German- and Japanese-language versions.
But to Meiners, the real importance of the new funding round
is the ability it gives Linden Lab to make "Second Life"
more accessible to more people.
"The complexity of the interface has been confusing for many
people coming to 'Second Life,'" he said, "so this gives
them a chance to consider redesigning for a much larger
customer base."
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