SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Nov. 4, 2009 (Marketwire) --

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/04/09 -- Linden Lab®, creator of the virtual world Second Life®, today launched an open Beta program for its behind-the-firewall product, Second Life Enterprise(TM). In addition to revealing features, pricing, expected availability and several open Beta customers, the company is also announcing plans to launch a marketplace for enterprise applications and virtual goods. The Second Life Work Marketplace(TM), to be launched in Q1 2010, will enable customers to further customize their virtual world environments while also creating additional revenue streams for the company and its Solution Providers. Adding Second Life Enterprise and the Work Marketplace to its existing work offerings will enable Linden Lab to service an even broader range of organizations with virtual world solutions that enhance real life operations.

Already 14 organizations are participating in the Beta program for Second Life Enterprise. This list includes: IBM, Northrop Grumman, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, DefenseWeb Technologies, Case Western Reserve University, The New Media Consortium, among others. Second Life Enterprise enables these organizations to maximize the investments they've made in Second Life by moving some or all of their virtual operations and content behind their firewalls. Combining the benefits of working in Second Life, such as enhanced collaboration and advanced prototyping, with enhanced security features and centralized administration will open new doors for simulation, training, collaboration, innovation and product design.

More than 1,400 organizations around the world, including large enterprises, educational institutions, government agencies and the US Military, currently use Second Life to hold meetings, conduct training and prototype new technologies more efficiently and cost effectively. For example, IBM held a conference in Second Life that it estimated was executed at one-fifth the cost of a physical event, saving the company more than $320,000. Additionally, military organizations and defense contractors such as Northrop Grumman have significantly reduced R&D costs by moving design and simulation efforts to Second Life. Organizations now have the option of using Second Life as a service hosted by Linden Lab, using Second Life Enterprise as a standalone solution hosted behind their firewalls, or a combination of both.