Linden Lab has today announced that the private beta test of Second Life, which commenced in November last year, is now open to the general public. Second Life is an innovative online RPG in which players are not only able to customize their own avatar, but are also able to create their own in-game objects using sophisticated 3D creation tools.

　　"To date, thousands of people have been early pioneers in Second Life, building the foundations of a vibrant online society that has the complexity and texture of the real world," said Philip Rosedale, CEO and founder of Linden Lab. "The rapid expansion of the world continues to astound us. Our residents have built thousands of unique structures to explore--museums, nightclubs, even entire cities. Over 3,000 people have attended in-world parties, contests, events, and classes. And the in-world economy is booming--residents have bought and sold everything from designer fashions to sophisticated weapons in over 30,000 transactions. We are eager to see how the world will evolve and flourish as we open Second Life to an even broader audience."

　　Anyone wishing to join the Second Life beta test will need to register at the game's official Web site before downloading the Second Life viewer, which weighs in at only 10MB. For the duration of the beta period, Second Life will be available to play at no cost, but the pricing structure for the consumer version of the game scheduled for release this summer has yet to be announced. For more information on Second Life, check out our previous coverage of the game.