Second Life's creator is returning to advise the original metaverse company

Virtual worlds don’t need to be dystopias.”As companies like Meta launch their own visions for the metaverse, Rosedale has remained a vocal critic of some of the dynamics that underpin the current era of online life, from ad-based social networks to the environmental impact of energy generated by Bitcoin mining operations.While few Roblox users are old enough to have more than a passing familiarity with Second Life, if that, Rosedale’s virtual social platform pioneered many of the concepts that have only very recently been hyped under the umbrella of the “metaverse.” Second Life explored notions of digital identity, virtual real estate, digital economies and online multiplayer ecosystems in the early 2000s, back when Facebook only existed to connect students at elite universities.Rosedale is already regularly in communication with Executive Chairman of Linden Lab Brad Oberwager, according to the company, but will significantly deepen his involvement in the platform’s product plans in the new advisory role.