A persistent (very long term) dream of mine is to create a company that produces real world services through a game interface. A sign that this isn't too off the mark is seen in Sony's moves to take control of real world markets for game items:
Sony Online Entertainment Inc., the company that developed and runs such games as Star Wars Galaxies and EverQuest, was once a fierce opponent of the practice and threatened online traders with cease-and-desist notices. Recently, though, the company tried a different tack, allowing the trade of goods between players for real-world money in EverQuest II. In 30 days, about $180,000 changed hands between players; one player spent $8,000. Some players spent as much as $2,000 for characters.
What is "real world services" when Sony trades virtual items for "real money".
Can´t eat it, can´t sleep in it ...
What is "real world" about this?
Posted by: b | September 17, 2005 at 04:21 PM
Well, some guy in China spends real world time gathering virtual resources for real world money (all enabled and managed by the game).
Posted by: John Robb | September 17, 2005 at 04:36 PM
Here's a link for you John...
http://stationexchange.station.sony.com/prelaunch.vm
Posted by: prelaunch | September 17, 2005 at 04:55 PM
Federal Judge and U. of Chicago professor Richard Posner on virtual game economies:
http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/002124.shtml
Jack Balkin, Yale U. on virtual-real world economic activity
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=555683
Posted by: mark safranski | September 18, 2005 at 01:03 AM
Our local alt weekly had a story about this.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/issues/2005-03-23/news/feature.html
Posted by: AF | September 18, 2005 at 11:02 AM