Review of the Virtual World Community

Abstract

This chapter provides a discussion and an analysis on the virtual world community from the economic and commercial angle to explore further its financial potential. A prominent virtual world called Second Life has been chosen as a proxy of the review. A background section is provided for readers unfamiliar with the concepts and colloquialisms of Second Life, and it is followed by an in-depth discussion of virtual economy and commerce. Understanding the essence of virtual world consumption is seen as necessary to realize the financial potential. It concludes with the need to abide by DRM rights and understand the line between fantasy fulfillment and entertainment when participating in the virtual world.