Einstein is alleged to have once stated, “Imagination will take you everywhere.” We tend to agree! A sense of adventure is one of the most exciting things about Second Life. You can explore and experience so many places from the past, present, future, and from the imagination - and you can bounce from one to the other with a single teleport. 

The element of journey and discovery that Creators in Second Life build and breathe life into is something that is difficult to replicate anywhere else - which is why we enjoy highlighting these destinations on the blogs, our social pages, and in these destination videos. There is so much to experience and see across the Grid!

This week, we’re highlighting Escapades Island - a conglomerate of fantastical and whimsical genres to tease your imagination. If you think you’ve seen it all - think again! Escapades Island has just undergone some new construction, and is now revamped and ready for daring and curious adventurers alike. You’re going to want to plan a trip with your best friends to embark together on this playful and whimsical trip.

Watch this small glimpse into what you can expect, then hop in for yourself and prepare to discover something exciting and new!

Escapades Island

Looking for adventure? Look no further than Escapades Island, a place jam-packed with interesting places to see. Explore steampunk houses, pirate seafronts, castle ruins, and peaceful forest walks. Grab a free Escapades bashing stick to uncover prizes and monsters while exploring the many secrets and games on the island!

Visit in Second Life

For more  Destination videos, check out our Destination Video channel on our official YouTube Channel.

Video production courtesy of Draxtor Despres

Thank you to everyone who tuned in to our first ever episode of Lab Gab with Xiola & Strawberry on August 28th! While things got off to a bit of a rough start with some pesky technical difficulties (no amount of testing can fully prepare you for going ‘live’) we had a blast chatting with you and answering your questions about all things Second Life. We’ve also looked into the audio issues to ensure that things go much smoother for our second episode. Thanks for sticking with us!

This week - we return with a special guest -  Reed Linden - Product Manager, Second Life. Reed brings the dish on a bunch of different things related to Second Life accounts, including Marketplace, Profiles, and the recently released Bakes on Mesh project. We are excited to welcome Reed to the Lab Gab set for a chat about some of the things going on from the product team’s perspective. We’ll be taking questions from viewers towards the end of the show, and we look forward to seeing you there. 

Tune in to our Official YouTube Channel to watch on Wednesday, September 11th at 3 pm PT/SLT. 

Over the years, the look of Second Life has always been enhanced by the creativity of content creators and the surprising ways in which the community finds to express itself. That can be anything from the avatar enhancements we’ve seen in mesh and Bento mesh, to laser shows and special effects, performances and art, and even the ancient days of particles and bling ( yes - bling was a thing!). 

Second Life has always been brimming with visually interesting assets, so it is exciting to see the sheer amount of creativity on display this month at E.V.E. as it celebrates its fourth anniversary with impressive contributions from acclaimed artists Bryn Oh, Regi Yifu and Cica Ghost. E.V.E creator and owner Noke Yuitza is also an accomplished artist with works that can be seen throughout the Imaginarium Region. With themes that range from surreal, fantastic, dystopian, and other retro-futuristic ideas, you’ll want to visit these special creations before they disappear at the end of September.

Take a sneak peek in the video below or on the Destinations Channel of our Official YouTube.

You can visit the following art installations at E.V.E until September 29th:

From the invited artists:

•   SKY FISHING, some artworks by Bryn Oh
•   UNDER THE SEA?, by Regi Yifu
•   TALES FROM THE CROCODILE, by Cica Ghost
 

Works by E.V.E. creator and owner Noke Yuitza:
•   DREAMER BOY – Scene: Mirror
•   ELF 2255
•   MUSIC MACHINE – Elfic Bells Notes
 

Currently Unlimited Installations by Noke Yuitza
•   Permanent: ETHEREAL SHAPES – Stage 1: The Dreamer
•   Permanent: INFERNO – Scene Scatha the Dragon: The 2 Shapes

Our new “Made in Second Life” series continues with the first installment focusing on virtual world education - “Learning Made in SL.” Each year, many students further their education through virtual classes and unique learning scenarios presented in numerous immersive environments within the Second Life virtual world. 

This edition puts the spotlight on Chant Newall Development Group, LLC (CNDG), which has utilized the Second Life platform for interactive offerings in biology, chemistry, economics and environmental science. CNDG works closely with Florida State University and the University of Central Florida on Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) that include experiences that range from taking students inside of a human cell, using a forensic science application to solve a murder mystery, exploring Easter Island as it would have been some 500 years ago, and much more. 

William (Bill) Prensky, who is the CEO of CNDG, talks about the unique opportunities that VLEs afford students and educators alike, in the video below.

P.S. Our “Made In Second Life” series will soon shift the spotlight to the world of fashion and design in Second Life! Stay tuned for several episodes of “Fashion Made in SL” -- coming soon to this blog and our social channels.

Production Credits:
Video produced by Draxtor Despres
Logo designed by Marianne McCann

Happy Monday, Everyone!  Today we are happy to announce the release of a brand new feature for our viewer which has been in production for a very long time. We’re quite excited by the possibilities offered by the new Bakes On Mesh feature for our content creators, and judging by their engagement thus far, they are too!

What is Bakes On Mesh?

In short, Bakes On Mesh is a feature that allows you to apply a server baked texture to a mesh attachment, similar to the way that standard system avatars currently work. Using this feature, you’ll be able to apply several texture layers to customize skin, tattoos, clothing, etc on your mesh object as a single server baked texture without the need for multiple transparent layers.

Major Features

• Any face of a mesh object can be textured using any of the server baked textures.

• The corresponding region of the system avatar is hidden if any attached mesh is using a baked texture.

• New texture bake channels have been introduced to give more control over how meshes get textured.

• A new “universal wearable” is now provided with support for the new texture channels.

Benefits

• Avoid the need for appliers, leading to an easier customization workflow.

• Avoid the need for “onion” avatars, leading to fewer meshes and fewer textures at display time.

• Allow for customization of any mesh that’s set to use Bakes on Mesh by simply equipping the appropriate wearables, without needing to modify the mesh itself.

You can read more about how Bakes On Mesh works, and the wide variety of possible uses, in our Knowledge Base article on the topic, or watch an early demo created after our original post! We are excited to put this new tool into your hands and see what you all come up with!

You can download the Bakes on Mesh enabled viewer release and start checking out Bakes on Mesh now.

We’re excited to announce our very first live-streaming show - “Lab Gab” with Xiola and Strawberry Linden. We’ll be coming to you live on YouTube every two weeks or so, starting Wednesday, August 28th at 3 pm SLT/PT. You can join us for these live streams on our Official YouTube Channel here when we go live! (We’re working on bringing Lab Gab to more streaming platforms in the very near future - so stay tuned!)

What’s Lab Gab? Well, it will be a variety show of sorts - we want to explore Second Life, answer your questions, talk to Residents from all over the world, and stream it through the internet and into your homes, phones, and wherever you get your quality entertainment.

In our first show, we’ll be introducing ourselves, talking a little bit about what Lab Gab is, and interacting with you through YouTube live. In the future, we will invite special guests to come visit us on the set and talk about events and issues that impact the communities in Second Life.

As long-time Residents and now Lindens, we can’t wait to get gabbing!

Tune in at 3 pm SLT on Wednesday, August 28 for our launch and stay tuned to our social media and blog for updates about future shows.

The Hair Fair has been an annual staple of the Second Life event scene for several years now. Residents look forward each year to the opportunity to shop for new hair for their avatars and do so for a good cause.

Sasy Scarborough, Mel Vanbeeck, and Whimsy Winx have organized another Hair Fair this year (now through September 1st) with a wealth of options for even the most discerning and selective of hair shoppers. Three Regions and Cam Shopping areas are sure to provide a rich shopping experience to those who visit.

Exclusive items are marked with percentages of proceeds that are given to the non-profit organization Wigs for Kids  - and Hair Fair has raised tens of thousands of USD in donations made from inworld sales and purchases by Second Life Residents. That’s an incredible feat and one that Sasy, Whimsy and Mel are grateful for. 

You can visit the Hair Fair through September at any of the following destinations:

Hair Regions

Hair Fair 2019 - Redhead Region
Hair Fair 2019 - Noirette Region
Hair Fair 2019 - Blonde Region

Cam Shopping Regions

Hair Fair 2019 - Streaks
Hair Fair 2019 - Brunette (aka Perm)
Hair Fair 2019 - Foils

Be sure to allow yourself time to explore all three Regions so as not to miss anything.

This week’s Destination Video gives some further insight into the event, its purpose, and its creators - watch the video below or on our official YouTube Channel.

One of the many incredible things about Second Life and virtual worlds, is that you can travel to places that may be otherwise out of reach and experience some of the culture and adventure without the jet lag or the travel costs. These places can be outside the scope of our world - eras long past or places that never existed - or they can be inspired by places that exist in the physical world. France, England, Japan, and many other countries are just a teleport away.

Monash University’s Chinese Island is a place that virtually represents a Chinese township, where you can experience some of the things that reflect everyday life in China. 

Kaylee West teaches students about Chinese language and culture at Monash University in Australia, and he has created and curated Chinese Island in Second Life as a way for anyone to get a taste of the Chinese culture from wherever they may be in the world. You can visit the website for more information about the project.

To catch a glimpse of what Chinese Island is like, you may watch this destination video, but we highly recommend that you login to your Second Life account and plan a trip to visit it inworld - just use the Destination Guide link here or  below the video.

(Note: If you don’t see the  language captions automatically, be sure to turn them on for the full translation).

Chinese Island

Initiative by the Chinese Studies Program at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, designed to complement traditional classroom tuition with context-based, hands-on learning in the virtual environment of Second Life.

Visit in Second Life

We’re excited to announce that production has started on “Made in Second Life,” a new original web series that will debut across our various social media channels later this year. This new series (made in partnership with Draxtor Despres) expands upon the concept of Second Life storytelling that was first introduced with “Love Made in Second Life,” an original limited-run production that showcased stories of Residents who fell in love and married after meeting in Second Life. 

Check out this sneak preview of the new “Made in Second Life” series below:

In each episode, “Made in Second Life” aims to tell a different story about one of the many communities and creators found across our virtual world. You’ll soon see episodes that feature Second Life musicians, machinima makers, bloggers, fashionistas and much, much more. Next up in the series is “Fashion Made in Second Life”, debuting later this year.

Logos courtesy of Marianne McCann

Do you have an interesting story to share about your Second Life? We’re now casting for episodes including but not limited to the following themes: romance, fashion, music, moviemaking/machinima, roleplaying communities, game making, education, and blogging! We’re also continuing to look for cool and unique Destinations to spotlight for our ongoing “Second Life Destinations” video series. 

Contact madeinsl@draxtor.com and tell us your story. You might be featured in a future episode of “Made in Second Life.” If you have a destination that you’d like to be considered for “Second Life Destinations,” then reach out to us via this suggestion form.

P.S. Even more original video productions are also on the way! You may have noticed that we have already started a refresh of our new user tutorials. Also, stay tuned for news about a new recurring Second Life-themed live streaming program that will debut later this month.

Since its beginning, artists have found Second Life to be a means of expression - from installations and exhibits like Bryn Oh’s work, to galleries and fundraisers like the Raglan Shire Artwalk  - art has always been a key element of the Second Life Community.

With recent conversations about the ending of the initial iteration of the LEA, and what may be soon to follow in its spirit, it is clear that not only is art in Second Life important to artists, but it is also important to the community.

Acclaimed French artist, Patrick Moya (Moya Janus in Second Life) has an impressive and expansive breadth of work that spans over 40 years, and includes dolls designed for UNICEF, ceramic sculptures, video and projection art, and the work he’s done in Second Life at “Moya Land.”

Moya Land is a space in which he says he can realise a dream - to be a character who lives inside of his own work. To find out more about Moya Land and the artist, watch this Destination video and login to check out the Moya Galleries in Second Life. If you do not speak French, be sure to turn on closed captioning to English.

University of Moya

Explore this creative, messy and chaotic art space by Patrick Moya.

Visit in Second Life

Second Life is full of generous communities who take the time to organize and support ongoing efforts to a number of great causes. Many of our Residents dedicate their time and resources to volunteer in the creation of events that educate and draw attention to important issues, allowing others to help donate and contribute through participation in Second Life.

Mysterious Paradise is such an event - running from now until August 3rd, 2019. Built on a Region steaming with virtual wildlife, music, shopping, and entertainment - all to help raise money for the World Animal Protection Organization. All donations and profits from the event will be donated to the organization - which works hard to protect and prevent animal cruelty across more than 50 countries.

Learn more about this event in this week’s Destination video - and visit before the event ends on August 3rd!
 

Mysterious Paradise

Visit the Mysterious Paradise Event, which is located on a wildlife themed region for shopping, music, and entertainment to help raise funds for the World Animal Protection organization. 100% of all donations and profits will support this organization that protects animals around the globe, so have fun while doing good! The event runs from July 20th to August 3rd. More information at www.MysteriousParadise.com

Visit in Second Life

Second Life is home to several impressive 3D replicas of places and landmarks in the physical world, so it is no surprise that many in the community have been praising the presence and detail found in Rieri. This contemporary Japanese location is inspired by Tokyo’s Arakawa Lock Gate region and was modeled from Google Maps and real photos of Tokyo neighborhoods.

Learn more about Rieri in this week’s Destinations video, which is narrated by Resident pokute Burt (who cites Rieri as one of his favorite spots in Second Life). (Note: If you don’t see the English language captions automatically, be sure to turn them on for the full translation).

To get even more insight to the making and magic of Rieri, we recommend that you also check out the official video tour from Rieri project architect/director Eripom Moonwall and her team.

Better yet, see Rieri for yourself in Second Life - no plane tickets required!

Rieri - Town in Tokyo

Visit Rieri-Town, an incredibly realistic town modeled from Google Maps and real photos of Tokyo neighborhoods. Come and visit to feel the atmosphere of this contemporary Japanese location.

Visit in Second Life

Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Moon Landing

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s moon landing with the National Space Society in Second Life. Visit their Tranquility Base venue on Saturday, July 20th for two historic video watch parties at 1pm and 7:30pm SLT. There will also be a Space Age Sock Hop with DJ Aristippus from 4pm to 6pm SLT.

Visit in Second Life

You can also drop by the Spaceflight Museum for some information about spaceflight in general.

Spaceflight Museum

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing, visit the International Spaceflight Museum, which hosts a series of exhibits and events about real-world space travel. Ride a rocket into space and explore the planets! Rockets and spacecraft from the past, present and future. More info at: www.ismuseum.org

Visit in Second Life

Crazy about cats? This week’s Destinations video spotlights the many feline friends found across Second Life. 

Featured in the clip are the loveable KittyCatS, which have been popular in Second Life for over eight years! Other popular cat communities and creations in Second Life include Zooby’s, A.I. Friends, AEON e-Cats, and WK Wild Kajaera. There’s even a dedicated Cats Museum that you won’t want to miss!

Cats Museum

A place for those who love cats. Un lugar para los que aman los gatos.

Visit in Second Life

To discover these and other virtual pets in Second Life, check out the Pets & Animals category in the Destination Guide.

7/10 Update - For those who can't join us for the inworld event, we will be providing a video and transcript soon after the live event.

Want to learn more about Tilia, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Linden Lab? 

Second Life executives Grumpity Linden (Senior Director of Product) and Patch Linden (Senior Director of Product Operations) will be answering questions about Tilia from the community at a special “Tilia Town Hall” event held inworld this Friday, July 12 at 1 p.m. (SLT/Pacific). 

As announced on July 1, Tilia will soon be handling certain aspects of the Second Life service that will help us comply with U.S. laws and regulations via enhanced regulatory compliance protocols. We’ve been taking questions about Tilia in our official forum all week, so please join us as we continue to listen and respond.

Tilia Town Hall

Want to learn more about Tilia, the new subsidiary of Linden Lab?Here's your chance to learn more in this special Town Hall event, held July 12 at 1 p.m. (SLT/Pacific).

Visit in Second Life

We're positively stoked about the launch of a new Season of Stranger Things. In fact, by the time you read this, we may have already prepped for a binge-watching party, but as we head into the July 4th holiday here in the USA, we couldn't help but take this Stranger Things inspired pic and challenge all of you to the #StrangerMemes #SecondLifeChallenge!

To participate:

• Take pics and/or videos of you and/or your friends in 80s-themed looks and experiences inspired by Stranger Things.
• Share your pics on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram using the hashtags #StrangerMemes, #80sChallenge and #SecondLifeChallenge
• Submit your pic to our Official Flickr pools for Second Life Official and Second Life Challenge - Official using the hashtags #StrangerMemes, #80sChallenge and #SecondLifeChallenge

Strawberry Linden, Xiola Linden, Poppy the Balloon Pup and Lamb-orghini saw something strange after aerobics class. 

Have you ever thought about writing your own Medieval novel? What if you could live through your very own battle of the throne without any of the very bloody and finite endings you’ve seen on television? Hold court, joust, ride forth into battle on the back of your trusted steed, or simply embrace the photogenic romance of living in an era long passed - it’s all possible in SL.

That’s where communities like MYSTVALE and other role-playing communities within Second Life come in. Tailored to immerse you in an experience that blends history and fantasy together, and allows you to begin making your own history through creative story-telling. Talk about choosing your own adventure!

Put on your favorite medieval outfit, grab your preferred party of adventurers, and cross the virtual veil into MYSTVALE. 

Are we missing any of your favorite role-playing Region in our Destination Guide? If so, submit your suggestions to the Destination Guide using our submission form or email us at editor@lindenlab.com.

7/2 Update: In response to this announcement, we're answering questions from the community about Tilia in our forum.

7/10 Update: As mentioned in a follow-up blog post, we'll be discussing this announcement in more detail at our official Tilia Town Hall held in Second Life on Friday, July 12 at 1 p.m. (SLT/Pacific). For those who can't join us inworld, a video and transcript will be provided soon after the live event. 

We’re making some important changes to Second Life that will help us comply with U.S. laws and regulations. To do this, Linden Lab formed a new subsidiary, Tilia, to offer certain financial services to the Second Life community. While Tilia might not be a name that is familiar to many in the Second Life community, it was created to efficiently handle the ever-growing and complex needs of our operations.

Beginning on August 1, 2019, Tilia will take over certain aspects of the Second Life service. Tilia enables Linden Lab to continue the Second Life service in its current form through enhanced regulatory compliance protocols.  To achieve this, Tilia will assume responsibility for managing your USD denominated account, which will be referred to as your "Tilia Account."  After August 1, Tilia will handle process credit requests and payments made from your Tilia Account. 

What’s changing? 

Effective August 1, in order to continue using Second Life you will have to agree to Tilia’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.  A Tilia Account associated with your Second Life Account will automatically be created for you and you will not need a separate username or password to access your Tilia Account.  

In order to stay in compliance with regulatory requirements, if you wish to process a credit, we will need certain personal information to verify your identity, including your name, address, date of birth, and social security number (or government-issued identification if you are not a U.S. Citizen).  You may be required to provide additional information to complete the transaction. Tilia will securely store this information so that you should only need to provide it once.

Additionally, please note that customers under 18 years of age will not be able to process credit after August 1, 2019 until they reach the age of 18. 

As always, Second Life remains free to access and enjoy!  However, if your Tilia Account is inactive for a period of 12 months we will charge your Tilia Account a fee to the extent permitted by applicable law.  If you have questions about the inactivity fee, please see Tilia’s Terms of Service.

Why am I required to provide personal information to Tilia and what will you do with it?

As registered money services businesses, Linden Lab and Tilia are required to comply with applicable U.S. laws and regulations. As part of our ongoing risk management process, we must obtain, verify, and record information about our customers for whom we offer financial-related services. We take your privacy and security seriously, so your personal information will continue to remain protected and will only be used for purposes that are outlined in Linden Lab’s and Tilia’s Privacy Policies. Please refer to the FAQ for more details regarding this information request.

Where can I find out more information about these changes?

We understand that there may be some questions and concerns about these new procedures, but these changes are required in order for Linden Lab to continue offering Second Life services without disruption to its economy. We relish and respect the countless contributions of Second Life Residents to the virtual world, so these changes will enable us to maintain a robust virtual economy for many years to come. For more information and context on these changes and how it may impact you, please see our FAQ.

This week’s Destinations video turns the spotlight on the many motorcycle clubs and biker communities in Second Life. Whether you are a casual or dedicated enthusiast, these communities and clubs serve as important social spaces where Residents can simply hang out, listen to music and/or take a ride on one of the many gravity-defying roads of Second Life.

Many of these clubs, such as the Legions of Vets, also have military veterans as members and hold events to raise money for nonprofits such as The Wounded Warriors and Homes For Our Troops. Also featured in the clip are Cobra MC World, Vipers MC and 4 Horsemen.

To get you started, we’ve created a new Motorcycles & Biker Clubs Destination Guide category dedicated to motorcycle and biker culture in Second Life. Are we missing any of your favorites? If so, submit your suggestions to the Destination Guide using our submission form or email us at editor@lindenlab.com.

Per this forum update post from Patch Linden - some news on the release process for Linden Homes.

"I have an update to our release process I want to share with everyone.  As I alluded to here, we are going to try and change our release strategy for a little while to see if a particular process works better for everyone involved, including many of you who have been very patiently waiting for one of the new Linden Homes.   

Many of you have already been witness to the new process unfolding in front of you whether you knew it or not.   Those regions that have been called out in various places such as New Hamsterdam down to SSPE136 (soon to be officially named).  We did this for multiple reasons, mostly in an effort to show all of you some of the process we go through in real-time to make these beautiful new regions come to life, and give a glimpse into the timeline involved.  

Starting today, we’re going to try to release a region’s worth of new Linden Homes on a regular cadence.  We’re aiming to try for a region per every other day, but as we can not control all the factors involved in the lengthy process, we may have some gaps which could last anywhere between a day to several days and especially on the weekends.  This will also mean that I will not update this post with each region release, but keep it for larger release updates, announcements, news, information, etc.

This will be followed by the future initial release of the new Campers & Trailers theme that has also now been revealed here at SL16B.  This release will be large-scale like other releases we have done in the past, and then also potentially follow the release process I’ve outlined above.

Next up, is an area that is going to be our first community events space called the Bellisseria Fairgrounds!  Our vision for this space is to grant communal access to an area that is clear and ready for set-up of an event.  We are going to supply the outlying basic infrastructure which includes water taxi access to the main continent, an airstrip and landing pad.  We will have a scheduling calendar and process in place where the space can be reserved in advance.  The first events already in line for use of this space will be around the 4th of July holiday coming up.  More information to come about how the reservation process will work in the near future."

Second Life’s 16th Birthday celebrations continue this week with more fun and events, including an opportunity to meet the people behind Second Life. Here’s your chance to learn more about future plans for Second Life and other behind-the-scenes information via a series of special Town Hall Q&A events at SL16B. 

It all begins today at 2 p.m. with an opportunity to meet Senior Director of Product Operations Patch Linden. 

ABOUT PATCH LINDEN
Senior Director, Product Operations

A Resident since 2004, Patch was born into Second Life in September of 2007.  In his current duties, Patch works to bring the best of product and support based decisions on a daily operational basis to the virtual world platform for Second Life, while maintaining oversight on how all of the various teams within Linden Lab can best work together for the highest good of the Residents and the business.

Meet the Lindens - Patch Linden

Meet Linden Lab Senior Director of Product Operations Patch Linden at this special event, held June 24 at 2 p.m. (Pacific). Patch works to bring the best of product and support based decisions on a daily operational basis to the virtual world platform for Second Life, while maintaining oversight on how all of the various teams within Linden Lab can best work together for the highest good of the Residents and the business.

Visit in Second Life

On Tuesday, don’t miss a Q&A with Senior Director of SL Engineering Oz Linden and System Engineering Manager April Linden.

ABOUT OZ LINDEN
Senior Director, Second Life Engineering

Prior to joining Second Life, Oz spent many years developing all sorts of networking code -- eventually including contributions to the development of HTTP and from there to open source SIP (voice over IP). Internet Telephony turned into something of a corporate nightmare, so he looked around for something more fun. A friend who was working at the Lab recruited Oz to help with the open source program. Since he had already played a little with Second Life, he thought that it certainly met the "fun" criteria but he had no idea just how much fun. Nine years later, Oz is responsible for Second Life Engineering and having the time of his life. He is proud to be working on a product that means so much to so many people.

ABOUT APRIL LINDEN
Systems Engineering Manager, Operations

Before joining the dark side and going into management, April was an operations engineer herself for over 20 years. It’s the operations team that handles the care and feeding of the computers that power Second Life.

April has been a Resident of Second Life since 2006, and a Linden since 2013. She adores Second Life and the power that it has to change lives by providing people a safe place to explore themselves, and giving them the courage to change their lives in positive ways.

On Wednesday, you won’t want to miss your chance to hear directly from Linden Lab CEO Ebbe Linden about progress on improvements to Second Life and other developments in the works.

ABOUT EBBE LINDEN
CEO, Linden Lab

Ebbe Altberg came to Linden Lab with more than 25 years of experience leading teams and creating software used by hundreds of millions of users. After graduating from Middlebury College he went on to work at Microsoft, where he spent most of his 12 years leading teams that created the world’s most popular productivity products such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Office. 

Meet the Lindens - Ebbe Linden

Meet Linden Lab CEO Ebbe Linden on June 26 at 2 p.m. (Pacific). Ebbe has more than 25 years of experience leading teams and creating software used by hundreds of millions of users. Learn about his vision for Second Life at this special event.

Visit in Second Life

It’s all about the community on Thursday as Lead Community Manager Xiola Linden and Marketing Content Specialist Strawberry Linden take the stage.

ABOUT XIOLA LINDEN
Lead Community Manager

Xiola Linden currently handles all things social media and community related for Second Life. A Resident since 2006, and a Linden since 2011, Xiola has seen how both the communities and the product have grown over the years. She truly believes in the unique talent and creativity of the Second Life community. Prior to coming to work at Linden Lab, she worked at a social gaming company heading up community and customer support teams. Working on Second Life has been a dream job come true. 

ABOUT STRAWBERRY LINDEN
Marketing Specialist

Bringing her experience as a Second Life Resident and blogger for over a decade, Strawberry Linden joined Linden Lab as a Marketing Content Specialist in April of 2019. Her role solely focuses on Second Life, and she strives to create tutorials and imagery that will resonate with not only new Residents, but also the current community. 

Meet the Lindens - Xiola & Strawberry Linden

Meet Lead Community Manager Xiola Linden and Marketing Content Specialist Strawberry Linden at this special event, held June 27 at 2 p.m. (Pacific). Xiola currently handles all things social media and community related for Second Life, while Strawberry strives to create tutorials and imagery that will resonate with not only new Residents, but also the current community.

Visit in Second Life

A playlist is available of these talks shortly after they happen, on our YouTube channel. 

On Friday, you can meet the Moles who build, script and create content for the Linden Department of Public Works.

Meet the Moles

The Moles are builders, scripters, and content creators employed by Linden Lab to work in the Linden Department of Public Works. Meet Naughty, Abnor, Squeaky and other Moles on Friday, June 28th at 2pm SLT at a special Town Hall Q&A session at the SL16B auditorium.

Visit in Second Life

These events are among the many happenings this week on the SL16B regions. Check out the Destination Guide and our full events calendar on our SL16B landing page to see what else is happening!

It's no secret that SL16B has kicked off and it's been an awesome two days so far. There is so much to do! If you're looking for some direction on what to check out where and when - visit the blog post we made yesterday at launch. 

We have been having a blast making our way through the exhibits, Music Faire, shopping, and so much more. Strawberry Linden and Xiola Linden decided to pose a Second Life Challenge to you - pick up your free party hat at the welcome area and take videos and/or pictures of you and your friends wearing your hats. Share them with us on social using #sl16b and #SecondLifeChallenge - it's that easy!

To participate:

• Grab your FREE party favor bag at the welcome area of SL16B
• Unpack your SL16B Hat, Flag & Lanyard v1.0 package
• Put your hat on and go enjoy the festivities!
• Take pics and/or videos of you and/or your friends in the hats
• Share your pics on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram using the hashtags #SL16B and #SecondLifeChallenge
• Submit your pic to our Official Flickr pools for Second Life Official and Second Life Challenge - Official using the hashtags #SL16B and #SecondLifeChallenge

Strawberry Linden, Xiola Linden, and Sticks the Fish, taking in the sights and sounds of #SL16B.

Hey there Daddy-os and Dollys! We have got some gifts for you in celebration of SL16B that you are not going to want to miss out on.

Premium Second Life members can open their very own good eats retreat with the latest exclusive Premium gift. Are you ready to serve up some social fun at your very own 1950s retro diner?

This vintage delight is the epitome of the 1950s social scene, and all across the world are still many diners that stay true blue to this iconic theme.

** Gift includes diner building only. Cars, external sign, and some pictured internal furnishings not included. Check out the SL16B Swaginator Hunt to seek-and-find some free Diner furnishings.

Your diner comes with customizable base decor, access permissions, and more. You will have the freedom to decorate inside as you wish - but if you’re looking for some free diner furnishings - be sure to check out the SL16B Swaginator hunt where you just might find what you need to get your milk shaking and your burger and fries grilling.

If you’re a Premium Resident already, don’t hesitate, and log on now to grab your gift!

Not yet a Premium member? Upgrade to Premium* and grab your diner today!

Remember too - you can still lock in an additional cycle of Premium for the current rates before the end of day on June 24th - more on that available here.

Premium Gift Collection Spot 1

SL16B Swaginator Gift Hunt

Several cool retro gifts are scattered across the SL16B regions. Can you find them all? Runs from June 20th to July 8th, 2019!

Visit in Second Life

SL16B is now officially open! Second Life is turning “Sweet Sixteen” -- 16 years of an incredible community and creative history that makes “SL” so unique. Of course, there is always cause for celebration on the Grid - but this is an opportunity to call out all the stops. This year’s celebrations will last longer than ever before! From today through July 8, we have packed SL16B with parties and events to mark this momentous occasion.

Here’s a “first look” preview of this year’s event:

With so much going on this year, we’ve assembled some highlights that you won’t want to miss:

SL16B Destination Guide & Over 170 Community Exhibits!

Community builds, events and celebrations are one of the biggest and brightest parts of the birthday celebrations. With over 170 community-created exhibits this year, there is a lot to see - so plan more than one trip to catch it all! To get started, check out the Community Exhibits category in our dedicated SL16B Destination Guide.

In addition to the community builds, there are several birthday events happening all over Second Life. Our Destination Guide also features an SL16B Featured Events category chock-full of places that are celebrating with us - make a point to join your fellow Residents in the festivities.  

Shop & Hop - 100 Merchants. 100 Gifts. 5 Regions

We’ve brought back one of the biggest shopping events in Second Life and gathered one hundred of the biggest Merchants across five Regions, to offer some of their best products at incredible prices. Each Merchant has also provided a free gift in honor of the birthday of Second Life. Drop by each Region to shop and grab your gifts. A full list of participating Merchants is available on the blog.

Music Faire!

Second Life is full of talented musicians and you’ll find the live music community pulsing throughout the Grid each week - in clubs, venues, and cafes. We’ve got some of that talent together to take the stage at SL16B’s Music Faire - a full two day line up of feel good vibes. The full line up in SLT is available on our blog.

Slap on some virtual sunscreen and head out for the music.

SL16B Music Faire 1

Meet the Lindens  

It’s also a tradition at SL16B to spend some time with some of the folks behind Second Life. On June 24th through 27th, our Meet the Lindens event connects Lindens to the community so that you can ask questions and get to know us a little better. Participants this year include Patch Linden (June 24), Oz & April Linden (June 25), Ebbe Linden (June 26), and Xiola & Strawberry Linden (June 27). All events at 2 p.m. (Pacific).

Meet the Lindens

Free SL16B Gifts & Avatars

What good is a birthday party without free gifts? Several cool retro gifts are scattered across the SL16B regions. Can you find them all in the SL16B Swaginator Gift Hunt?

SL16B Swaginator Gift Hunt

There’s also free themed avatars exclusive to SL16B!

Free SL16B Gift - Complete Avatars

Full Event Calendar

You’ll also want to catch the many DJ performances and other special events. To keep on top of what is happening each day, visit the full SL16B event calendar or our SL16B Landing Page.

We are so excited about celebrating with you - and look forward to more great Second Life Birthdays!

It's hard to believe it - but SL16B is nearly here! Sixteen years of Second Life is an incredible opportunity to celebrate the community and culture that makes us so unique!

One of the events we have going on for this monumental occasion is a HUGE shopping event - with 100 of the top Merchants on the Grid - each with a gift and great discounts on their top selling items. Drop by the Shop & Hop event between June 20th and July 8th - and collect the gifts and steals that are available. One hundred Merchants. Five Regions. One hundred gifts. Hundreds of deals. 

To visit the Sl16B Shop & Hop event - start at any one of the Regions - but be sure to visit them all to see everything that's available.  

A complete list of participating Merchants is below*!

*Merchant list is subject to change.