The latest Second Life metrics and statistics are out from Linden Lab, covering to the end of April 2008. We're only a week into May, so this is definitely one of the more timely statistical sets we've seen so far -- a trend we hope continues!
Short version: The third month of decline in premium accounts, reduction in Lindex activity, reduction in user hours, sharp rise in land ownership, and the user population continues to trend towards older users.
Total signups increased by 368,006 (2.81%) in April, compared to a growth of 408,499 (3.22%) in March. This represents more of a decline than in March. It's too soon to call it an ongoing decline.
Total premium accounts declined for the third month in a row, falling by 1,325 (1.47%) compared to a decline of 1,656 (1.8%) in the previous month. Premium accounts peaked in June 2007, and while they approached that peak again in December 2007, never quite attained it.
The three most active regions by average time spent per active user in April were:
- Uganda: avg 89.4 hrs per user
- Russia (not including other Russian Federation states): avg 79.24 hrs per user
- Bahamas: avg 78.09 hrs per user
Overall, 516,134 users (down marginally from the previous month) spent an average of 56.12 hours each in Second Life during April, slightly up from 53.69 the previous month.
The Second Life map grew by 99.59 square kilometres (9.1%) compared to 54.45 kilometres (5.2%) for the previous month. The total at the end of April was 1,193.01 square kilometres of simulated space, of which only 16.1% is Linden Mainland, and the remaining 1,000.8 square kilometres are non-Linden estates.
The amount of resident-owned mainland increased by 4.7 square kilometres in April, and private estates by 94.9 square kilometres -- both well up from March.
April's Lindex activity was US$8,653,125, down 5.16% from the previous month's US$9,124,203.
Overall age demographics continue to trend towards us crusty oldies. 83.79% of the population is 25 years and older, and the older users spend far more time in Second Life than younger users with those over 44 years old continuing to be the heaviest users on average, and teens and under-25's spending the least time.
- 45 and older: 70.17 hours per user
- 35-44: 66.06 hours per user
- 25-34: 55.55 hours per user
- 18-24: 37.84 hours per user
- Teen grid: 24.67 hours per user
Females spent nearly twice as long online in Second Life as the boys - another trend which continues steady each month. In short, the average active Second Life user is most likely to be your mother (so to speak).
Total user hours for April totaled 29,069,684 hours, down some from March's record 30,625,176.73, but still better than any other prior month.
