Dhruin
SasqWatch
Both Kotaku and Joystiq are running pieces on the reported numbers for Second Life, with evidence emerging the previous claims of 2.5M players are (unsurprisingly) rubbery. Here's a snip from Joystiq:
More information.Second Life had a backlash coming. The overhyped virtual reality world with amazing public relations and highbrow academic love is now the focus of an increasing number of reports calling foul to their claim of 2.3 million residents. American Public Radio's Marketplace says it's actually more like 250,000.
Clay Shirky, a reporter for Fortune says, "So these aren't terrible numbers, but it's certainly a much more modest success than we've been led to believe by the business stories saying 'there are millions of people using Second Life and it's growing by leaps and bounds.'"