Swedish embassy opening in Second Life

Sweden is setting up shop in Second Life, the Internet fantasy world whose 3 million users interact with one another through cyber-characters called avatars. The country will be opening a virtual embassy, a 3D copy of the real thing in Washington, where Second Life users can get information about Sweden. No, the Second Life embassy will not ...

604449_ikea_secondlife_05.png
604449_ikea_secondlife_05.png

Sweden is setting up shop in Second Life, the Internet fantasy world whose 3 million users interact with one another through cyber-characters called avatars. The country will be opening a virtual embassy, a 3D copy of the real thing in Washington, where Second Life users can get information about Sweden.

Sweden is setting up shop in Second Life, the Internet fantasy world whose 3 million users interact with one another through cyber-characters called avatars. The country will be opening a virtual embassy, a 3D copy of the real thing in Washington, where Second Life users can get information about Sweden.

No, the Second Life embassy will not be issuing passports or visas; it’ll just tell you how to get them in real life. No word yet on whether virtual Swedish meatballs and lingonberries will be served.

As for Swedish furniture giant IKEA, it seems they’re missing a market opportunity here. I don’t think it will be long, however, until IKEA follows Sears’s lead and opens its own Second Life showroom.       

Preeti Aroon was copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009 to 2016 and was an FP assistant editor from 2007 to 2009. Twitter: @pjaroonFP

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