"Second Life is not a game, but Second Life is a game."

Second Life is an environment for many things, including games, but is not limited to only games.

The technology that makes SL work resembles that of an online game more than anything else. Like a game, SL needs to render 3D space efficiently. Like a game, SL has a database for keeping track of accounts and records. Those are subjects that are often discussed at a game developers conference which is why LL participates.

Also, like a game, SL is a source of entertainment for most of its residents. However, a few use it for other purposes. LL's plan is to add functionality to make SL more of a platform for those who want to use it as a tool and those who want to use [it] for business. (Andrew Linden, 10/19/05)

SL was much like a game in version 1.0 but it has become less gamey since then. You can expect it to become more like a platform in the future. Unfortunately, it takes longer to make it so than to conceptualize it. (Andrew Linden, 10/19/05)

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Second Life