Amsterdam gets European HQ of Linden Lab (Second Life)

Linden Lab’s Director of Marketing and PR Manager  Catherine Smith (aka Catherine Linden) attended De Hoeksteen Live! at the NIMK last night.  Catherine told us off-camera about Linden Lab’s aims to have the official opening of their European Second Life marketing headquarters in Amsterdam in january 2010.

20090926 - SL projected on a big screen during De Hoeksteen Live! at the Netherlands Media Art Institute in Amsterdam. - Broadcasting live on the SALTO 1 television channel which is also live streamed to the digital 3D De Dam square on Amsterdam Sim in Second Life.

• Mobile phone photo by Helen Fermate (aka Starshine Halasy)

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• – Digital scan by @bornagainpagans from Amsterdam’s largest local news paper Het Parool – saturday 20090926 edition

English translation by Pooky Amsterdam & Ze Moo:

Second Life seeks office in town

Amsterdam determined an important Internet node

MICHIEL Couzy

Amsterdam – In Amsterdam,  Mark Kindon otherwise known as M Linden, director of Linden Lab,  was looking for office space in the city.

Linden Lab is the company behind Second Life, a major and very important virtual world.

The Amsterdam office is the first on the continent. “We want to be in Amsterdam to be connected directly with the European market which represents a significant and important market share of Second Life’s user base,” said Kingdon.

Second Life is a virtual 3D universe on the Internet. Participants enjoy it through their virtual characters called  avatars. They do what people do in the real world: shop, go to the pubs, work on projects that are important to them  and establish relationships.

“The Netherlands is in the top ten when it comes to numbers of users,” Kindon said.

The choice was Amsterdam because the city, according to Kingdon, “is beautiful, creative and easily accessible,” with much talent. “The Internet and design community are very strong here,” he says. Moreover, Amsterdam is home to a major Internet node.

Linden Lab, which has an international workforce of 325 people, will begin with a small office of five to ten employees. This week another milestone in Amsterdam for social networks;  the well-known Linkedin profile site opened an office in Amsterdam. The Hyves social network site also resides in Amsterdam.

Second Life two years ago was an absolute bubble and much in the news,  but lately it’s been quieter. “We get less media attention, but we are running well and making profits,” said Kingdon. “In June we had 24 percent more users over the same period last year. Our site is trading 500 million U.S. dollars each year.”

Second Life makes money on the sale of virtual land, the sale of inworld currency know as linden dollars and trade between avatars.

Second Life wants office in town

Amsterdam: important Internet node

By: MICHIEL COUZY

Amsterdam – Second Life arrives in Amsterdam. Mark Kindon, CEO of Linden-Lab,  was looking for office space in the city yesterday. Linden Lab is the company behind this virtual world.

The Amsterdam office is the first on the European continent. “We want to approach the European market from Amsterdam” said Kingdon.

Second Life is an online  universe. Participants enjoy it through their virtual characters called  avatars. They do what people do in the real world: shop, go to the pubs  and establish relationships.

“The Netherlands is in the top ten when it comes to numbers of users,” Kingdon said.

The choice was Amsterdam because the city, according to Kingdon, “is beautiful, creative and easily accessible,” with much talent. “The Internet and design community are very strong here,” he says. Moreover, Amsterdam is home to a major Internet node.

Linden Lab, which has an international workforce of 325 people, will begin with a small office of five to ten employees. This week also the  Linkedin profile site announced the opening of an office in Amsterdam. The Hyves social network site also resides in Amsterdam.

Second Life two years ago was an absolute bubble in the news,  but lately it’s been quieter. “We get less media attention, but we are running well and making profits,” said Kingdon. “In June we had 24 percent more users over the same period last year. Our site is trading 500 million U.S. dollars each year.”

Second Life makes money on the sale of virtual land and on the trade between avatars.

©2009 Het Parool

CLICK TO ZOOM-IN --- Snapshot by Youri Ashton taken at the virtual De Dam Square in Second Life. During an interview with ex-mayor of Amsterdam-Center, Anne Lize van der Stoel. During De Hoeksteen Live! broadcast from The Netherlands Media Art Institute on SALTO 1 (Amsterdam regional television)

Second  Life wil kantoor in stad

Amsterdam belangrijk internetknooppunt

MICHIEL COUZY

Amsterdam – Second Life strijkt neer in Amsterdam. Directeur Mark Kindon van Linden-Lab, het bedrijf achter deze virtuele wereld, was gisteren op zoek naar kantoorruimte in de stad.

Het Amsterdamse  kantoor is het eerste op het Europese vasteland. “Wij willen vanuit Amsterdam de Europese markt benaderen,” aldus Kingdon.

Second Life is een universum op internet. Deelnemers kunnen hierin rondlopen via een virtueel personage, een zogenoemde avatar. Ze doen wat mensen ook in de echte wereld doen: shoppen, naar het café gaan en relaties aanknopen.

“Nederland staat in de top tien als het  aankomt op het aantal gebruikers,” zegt Kingdon.

De keuze is gevallen op Amsterdam omdat de stad, volgens Kingdon, ‘prachtig, creatief en goed bereikbaar’ is, met veel talent. “De internet- en ontwerpgemeenschap is hier erg sterk,”zegt hij. Bovendien herbergt Amsterdam een belangrijk internetknooppunt.

Linden Lab, waar wereldwijd 325 mensen werken, wil beginnen met een klein kantoor met vijf tot tien medewerkers. Deze week maakte ook profielensite Linkedin bekend een kantoor te openen in Amsterdam. Ook vriendensite Hyves is in Amsterdam gevestigd.

Second Life was twee jaar geleden een absolute hype, maar de laatste tijd is het stil. “We krijgen minder media-aandacht, maar we draaien goed en maken winst,” aldus Kingdon. “In juni hadden we 24 procent meer gebruikers dan een jaar eerder. Op onze site wordt jaarlijks voor 500 miljoen dollar verhandeld.”

Second Life verdient geld aan de verkoop van virtueel land en aan de  handel tussen avatars.

©2009 Het Parool