The Arcade: Five Things to Look for at Second Life's Most Popular Seasonal Gacha Event

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

'Tis the season for another round of The Arcade, one of Second Life's most popular shopping events and without a doubt its most popular gacha themed event. In case you're not in the know, gacha machines in SL are a lot like their real life counterparts -- packed with a set of goodies, some rarer than others, that players can buy randomly for a fraction of what they might cost under normal shopping circumstances.

The doors open on December 1st, but if you just can bring yourself to wait I've got a preview of what's in store, starting with...

Holiday Spirit Collection from Remarkable Oblivion

This set of items from Remarkable Oblivion is perfect for anyone who's a fan of the gleaming and gilden parts of Christmas. Think Charles Dickens and classic movies and parade floats and mall window displays. Each ornate piece is detailed and gleaming, from lanters to gilt wings and leafy crowns worthy of any [ghost of] Christmas present.

Woodland Wonderland Set from Birdy/Foxes

This array of adorable clothes and accessories is a little more my speed, personally. These cozy-looking, fur-trimmed, ribbon-decked items feature a woodland creature motif, and they're one of the few sets I might just need to complete. Suffice it to say that my virtual wallet's already open.

Granny's Winter Cottage Set from 8f8

Speaking of cozy, what better place to decorate with your holiday decor and occupy with your well-dressed avatar than a winterized little cottage? This collection seems like it'll offer gacha fans a good value because, in addition to the cottage itself, you'll also have a chance to get plenty of goodies to furnish it with. And in case you're curious, the cottage itself is a stunner in all seasons.

Le Visage Purses from Nylon Outfitters

It seems like just yesterday that I was writing about Nylon Pinkney's wonderful wearable artwork. Oh wait, it was. No surprise here, by Nylon's art is gorgeous as ever, and this time you can display it emblazoned on some beatifully modeled bags. In contrast to the slick painted style of the prints, the bags themselves are realistic looking down to the hardware, and come in a variety of designs. I'm expecting to see a lot of bloggers toting these about come December.

Ho Ho Holiday Band from Balaclava

Not everything can be conveyed through Flickr and vendor ads alone, though. Uriah Eulenberg released this clip of his charming, one of a kind collection for The Arcade because a static image could never do them justice. Just watch for yourself.

Remember, The Arcade opens on December 1st and runs until New Year's Day. Keep your eyes peeled on their website for more details, including their inevitable (and incredibly useful) Shopping Guide still to come.

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Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart on Twitter, Iris Ophelia in Second Life) has been writing about virtual worlds and video games for nearly a decade, and has had her work featured on Paste, Kotaku, Jezebel and The Mary Sue.

Comments

[ole]

oh my,.. i need the lyre!!