Lifestyles of the virtually rich and famous

If you've spent more than a few minutes in Second Life, you've no doubt realized that money makes the virtual mare go. It may be the wild west in every sense of the phrase, and the virtual fortunes being made inside the sims of SL rest on the precarious notion that the virtual world will continue to expand and grow at alarming rates but still, you've got to admire the cha-ching sound that's ringing in the ears of an elite few Second Life residents.

Business Week compiled a list of the virtual world's top 10 money makers -- mostly designers, corporate image consultants and land barons -- and it's a sobering testimony to anyone who thinks the virtual economy is all just fun and games.

Anshee Chung rides at the top of the list with a total net worth of over 1 million real-world dollars, but the rest of the list may come as some surprise to the casual SL observer.

Tags: news, Second Life, SecondLife, SL, virtual economy, virtual fortunes, VirtualEconomy, VirtualFortunes