Linden Lab UK studio â??closedâ??

Develop understands that Linden Lab, the innovative online company responsible for Second Life, has closed its UK offices in Brighton.

Online reports and comments across social networking sites have claimed that the Brighton studio is closed as of today, yet a source close to the matter has told Develop the British studio closed some time ago.

Linden Lab were unavailable for comment.

Develop’s source speculated that the closure of the UK studio coincided with the recent staff cuts in the US.

In June Linden cut an estimated thirty per cent of its workforce, with CEO Mark Kingdon walking from the company just two weeks later.

On the company’s website, Linden Lab no longer features the Brighton office on its list of studios.

Now Microsoft is at the centre of fresh speculation linking it to a potential buyout of Second Life creator. When approached by Develop Microsoft declined to comment.

Open since 2003, Second Life is a web-based 3D world that had attracted much mainstream attention as business and entrepreneurs set up virtual spaces and sell items there.