I was doing a sociology degree, and in a book the author said Second Life was a place of re-embodiment, rather than the general view of the internet as a place of disembodiment. I always read whatever I referenced, but this had slipped by. But I thought I should look over Christmas period, and delete the game after the weekend not to get hooked. That was 2 January 2009. Still here.
But I started doing video art, or machinima, out of Second Life in 2015* which led into a PhD in Contemporary Art - that was my practice at the begining and I now do craft printmaking as well. I'd be completing this year - if it wasn't for Covid-19. The PhD won competitive funding, and has been an amazing experience. And that was all built out of being in Second Life. And I'd argue time is important, both the length of time SL has been in existence and the experience that people have built up.
* Over 50 now, all at https://vimeo.com/tizzycanucci. The one below was shown in Denver last year.