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Second Life is coming to mobile

The world’s first and best-known metaverse platform makes the leap to iOS and Android

Second Life is coming to mobile

Linden Lab created metaverse platform Second Life is launching on mobile devices later this year.

Often described as the world’s first metaverse platform, Second Life allows users to socialise and play in digital spaces. A mobile version has been in the works for some time, with a version set for release last year prior to its delay. The new app will feature avatars and world display at launch, with full functionality to follow.

The beta will also include avatar chat.

A community of creators

Although this is the first official mobile version of the game, it’s worth noting that a community driven version, Crystal Frost, has been in development for some time. This version, created by community member Berry Bunny, is still in the works, and, like the official app, will utilise the Unity engine.

"I'm not going to halt developing of Crystal Frost," said Berry in a statement to New World Notes. "It just means that there will soon be a Unity-based mobile viewer. I still intend on delivering a next gen viewer, or at least as next gen as is possible with Second Life. There's only so much magic I can do when all the content is user generated."

The eventual goal for Crystal Frost is to implement VR within Second Life, functionality which still hasn’t been announced in the official version.

Content creation within Second Life has long allowed users to monetise their creations, with players creating everything from in-game cosmetics to nightclubs. The creation of a mobile version by a member of the community may fall in line with this tradition, however New World Notes raises the question of whether or not Crystal Frost’s development has kicked the development of an official version into high gear.

The Second Life app is scheduled for release in the latter half of this year. In other metaverse news, earlier this month we reported that Paris Hilton has joined the board of advisors of fashion metaverse platform Muus Collective.

 


Staff Writer

Lewis Rees is a journalist, author, and escape room enthusiast based in South Wales. He got his degree in Film and Video from the University of Glamorgan. He's been a gamer all his life.