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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Linden Lab has reported spending $1.3 billion building Second Life and paying $1.1 billion to creators since the virtual world launched in 2003. Those are cumulative figures attributed to company leadership—not independently audited totals in the available reporting. GamesBeat’s report was published December 19, 2024, and its latest visible update is June 18, 2025; the figures should not be read as newly measured in 2026.
What the $1.3 billion and $1.1 billion figures mean
GamesBeat reported the totals from interviews and company information: more than $1.3 billion spent building Second Life since 2003, and $1.1 billion paid to creators over the same period. Linden Lab executive chair Brad Oberwager said, “We have spent over a billion dollars investing in Second Life as of this year.” The available report does not provide an accounting method or audited financial statements for either cumulative total. GamesBeat’s report was later updated to include Roblox’s response to comparisons and to correct inaccuracies.
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The totals describe different flows of money. The $1.3 billion is reported investment in building the platform; the $1.1 billion is reported creator payouts. They are not a complete profit-and-loss statement, and the reporting does not establish how much Linden Lab earned, retained, or spent in any particular year.
What is known about spending—and what is not
The reporting discusses shifts in investment priorities and company ventures, but it does not itemize the $1.3 billion. It gives no verified allocation for servers, engineering, customer support, marketing, or other costs. Inara Pey’s contemporaneous account of the December 6, 2024 town hall likewise does not supply a cost ledger. That town hall report notes the public release followed on December 20.
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- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
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As a result, the $1.3 billion is best understood as a reported cumulative investment claim, not a figure readers can use to infer a per-user cost, annual budget, or return on investment. Those calculations would require details the cited reporting does not provide.
Creator payouts and the annual context
The lifetime $1.1 billion is not an annual income estimate for creators. GamesBeat reports several shorter-period figures, each with its own window:
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- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
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| Reported amount | Period or description | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| About $78 million | Creator payouts in the “preceding year,” as described in the report | A rounded figure tied to that wording, not a current annual run rate. |
| $79 million | Creator payouts in the 12 months ending June 2024 | A separate trailing-period figure stated in the report. |
| About $500 million | Creator payouts since 2018 through June 30, 2024 | A cumulative subtotal for that specified interval. |
| About $650 million per year | Reported size of the Second Life economy | An approximate economy-size figure, not synonymous with creator payouts, Linden Lab revenue, or creator net income. |
These amounts are reported by GamesBeat from company leadership and information; the reviewed sources do not establish independent audits or a complete methodology. The roughly $650 million economy figure should not be added to the payout totals: they measure different things.
How Second Life creators earn and cash out
Linden Lab’s creator page currently describes a 90/10 revenue share, direct sales in-world and through the Marketplace, and the ability to buy and sell Linden Dollars for cash through LINDEX. It also points creators to scripting and 3D-content resources. This is the company’s description of its current creator model; it does not independently verify the historical $1.1 billion total or establish that one take rate applies identically to every transaction.
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- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Why the Roblox comparison is difficult
GamesBeat’s report discusses comparisons between the platforms, but Roblox asked for more careful treatment. Its response emphasized that platform economics include tools, hosting, distribution, and other services, which are not necessarily accounted for in the same way in a payout-share comparison. The report also notes that creator populations and payout definitions differ.
A sound comparison therefore needs to specify the period and denominator: lifetime totals, a calendar year, a trailing 12 months, and a period ending June 30, 2024 are not interchangeable. Nor are all platform users, active users, creators who earned anything, and creators eligible for cash-out equivalent groups. Finally, gross economy size, platform revenue, creator payouts, and creator net income are distinct metrics. The reported information does not provide a harmonized accounting basis that makes a single headline percentage a like-for-like verdict.
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How current are the figures?
The report’s visible update date is June 18, 2025. The available sources do not establish a newer measurement of the lifetime totals, so this article preserves them as figures reported in 2024 and updated in the cited coverage in 2025—not as a fresh 2026 disclosure. The underlying methodology and detailed spending allocation remain unstated in the reviewed reporting.
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- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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