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FROM SUNSET TO SECOND LIFE
WHAT VIRTUAL WORLDS TEACH US ABOUT THE FUTURE

Thu November 12, 2026 06:00 pm CET

What can the virtual worlds we have lost—and those that have endured—teach us about what we should build next?

More than two decades after Philip Rosedale founded Linden Lab and created Second Life, the virtual world is still here, having survived multiple hype cycles while sustaining a remarkably resilient community and creator economy. What did Second Life get right, and what can today’s platform builders learn from it?

Rosedale joins Wagner James Au, longtime chronicler of Second Life and author of Making a Metaverse That Matters, and Julian Reyes, founder of the Virtual Worlds Museum™, for a conversation connecting the worlds that disappeared with one that endured.

Fittingly hosted inside the Virtual Worlds Museum™ Second Life Hub, the session explores preservation, community, creator economies and longevity—and what they reveal about the future of virtual worlds.

Format

Talk

App

Second Life

Location

Virtual Worlds Museum Hub

Duration

45 min

Access via

Presenter

Philip Rosedale
Founder of Linden Lab

Philip Rosedale is an American entrepreneur and technologist best known as the founder of Second Life, the pioneering virtual world launched in 2003 by his company, Linden Lab. A visionary in virtual reality and the metaverse, Philip has been at the forefront of digital economies, online communities, and immersive social experiences. He later co-founded High Fidelity, a company focused on spatial audio and virtual collaboration. His work continues to influence the evolution of virtual worlds, digital identity, and the future of the internet. Currently, he is working at CIMC exploring consciousness in machines and continues to develop new initiatives for Second Life.

Julian Reyes
Founder and Director at Virtual Worlds Museum™

Julian Reyes is an award-winning Director and Founder of the Virtual Worlds Museum™. He has over 20 years of industry experience in XR production, 3D animation, litigation graphics, design, film, and events. His work bridges creativity, community building, and technology, highlighting the global impact of virtual worlds.

Moderator

Wagner James Au
Author, “Making a Metaverse That Matters” and Editorial/Bizdev Advisor to Linden Lab

Wagner James Au is the author of Making a Metaverse That Matters (Wiley, 2023), drawing on more than 20 years working in the Metaverse industry. He began as the first journalist officially embedded inside Second Life, chronicling the emergence of one of the world’s first major virtual communities from within. Today, he advises Linden Lab on editorial and business development and works as a Metaverse content, design and marketing strategist. His writing on virtual worlds has appeared in The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal and Wired. He is also the author of The Making of Second Life and Game Design Secrets.

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