The Teaching Game

To those coming to Second Life from other MMOGs there is an expectation that it should behave in a manner similar to that which they have come to expect from other online games. When this proves not to be the case then there is discernable resentment against those seeking to find other applications for the SL world that don’t conform to the stereotypical online game.

One example of this attitude was the online reaction to the griefing of a CNET interview with Anshe Chung in Second Life in December 2006. Chung is a very public figure in the SL metaverse, held up by many ^[9] as an example of its success but not always universally applauded by Second Life residents for her business achievements ^[10]. The attack on Anshe Chung was widely condemned online ^[11] but a commentary that accompanied a video of the incident posted to a satirical humour site ^[12] served to illustrate that there are a few who regarded the griefing as a good thing.

The numbers game

Added to the championing of anti-social behaviour are a series of postings from respected bloggers ^[13] seeking to predict the failure of Second Life by attacking Linden Lab for the numbers they quote as residents of the system. The numbers used to by LL to support their press releases on the forward march of SL are certainly debatable but there is a discernable split in the ranks of those critiquing Second Life’s numbers between those predicting and cheering on its demise and those wishing it were better. It has been speculated ^[14] that this division is at least in part down to the fact that Second Life does not behave like the game some critics expect it to be and that those who are disappointed by its lack of game-ness are wishing its destruction.