Second Life might have found the key to sustainable digital economies

Second Life, the massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), has been around for almost two decades. For many people, it has provided a sense of social connection and low-stakes fun. During the COVID pandemic, it’s also proven to be a surprisingly robust moneymaker. 

As detailed in a lengthy feature for the business magazine Quartz, Second Life has seen a spike in its in-game GDP during the pandemic, which has translated into “real world” money for many players. Data provided by L’Atelier BNP Paribas indicates that players accumulated $73 million USD in 2020, up from $65 million USD in 2019. 

According to John Egan, CEO of L’Atelier BNP Paribas, a number of overlapping trends are driving this steady-but-significant growth—and there’s reason to believe it might continue even after the pandemic. Get the details of this analysis by reading the full article.