well, now I've seen everything . . . anyone familiar with the world of MMORPG? . . .

[OneBlueSky]

it apparently stands for "massive multi-player online role-playing games," a rather addictive (apparently) online gaming activity that involves thousands of players in a single game . . . seems there are millions of people who virtually live at their computers playing these games all day every day . . .

okay, it may not be my thing, but God bless 'em . . . I mean, everybody's gotta be somewhere, right? . . . but then I learned about a secondary industry that serves the most ardent of these gamers by selling them virtual merchandise or, more commonly, the virtual gold they can use to purchase virtual merchandise that they want or need to advance in the game . . . but here's the interesting part -- they buy this virtual stuff with real money! . . .

think about that for a moment . . . thousands of people spending real dollars -- and lots of them (like a billion/year) -- on virtual gold and merchandise . . . does this strike anyone else as some completely whacked out/crazy/funny-farm type of behavior? . . .

anyhow, I found out about this perviously unknown (to me) world when I stumbled across the following article . . . if you want a fascinating read, check it out . . .

The Decline and Fall of an Ultra Rich Online Gaming Empire
http://www.wired.com/gaming/virtualworlds/magazine/16-12/ff_ige

here's a link to the Wiki entry about IGE, the now-defunct company that was making billions while trying to corner the market by having hundreds of chinese "gold farmers" scouring the net to find and purchase all available gold and merchandise, which IGE would then re-sell to desperate players for absurd prices . . . (remember, everything they're buying doesn't even exist -- it's all virtual!) . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IGE

and here's the Wiki link to the MMORPG page for anyone who finds this as interesting as I did (albeit in a perverse sort of way -- I felt like I was reading about the porn industry or something) . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMORPG

I'm only posting this because I'm curious if others find this as completely and totally absurd as I do . . . or am I so far behind the times that it's just something my old-fashioned common sense and I simply can't fathom? . . .

in any event, happy reading to those who might be interested . . .

[ZombieHorde]

1. Some of my friends tried to get me into those games, but I didn't like the gameplay.

Buying video game add-ons is no weirder than gambling. You spend your money, have some fun, then that's it.

[onethatcares]

2. sounds kinda like the stock market

me thinks:wtf:

[WeDidIt]

3. I was very aware of this whole industry

I don't play MMORPGs, but I do keep abreast of what's going on and was very aware of the Chinese sweat shops farming gold and items in World of Warcraft, Everquest, and other MMORPGs.

It's a decade old at least.

[sam sarrha]

4. Virtual business setting or maybe.. Virtual Hookers link>>>

In less than 10 minutes, you can be working with other participants in a Virtual business setting http://www.qwaq.com/landing/sep2008a.php?_kk=virtual%20reality&_kt=755d49ea-50c6-48e5-83d6-2bfab511535a&gclid=CMaq4L6ghJoCFQghnAoduQ7yQQ

With 3D avatars, chatting is way more fun. Check it out for yourself!
http://www.imvu.com/catalog/web_landing.php?p=googblk&c=usec-sliveplace&gclid=COb1j-GghJoCFRabnAod6UC4QQ

Virtual Hookers and GTA Multiplayer Install Guidehttp://technorati.com/videos/youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DUSxPf5yEsA0
http://www.livevideo.com/video/41975C07D70C4F3AA0DB4D40FA93F68C/virtual-hookers-and-gta-multiplayer-install-guide.aspx

[Jeep789]

5. Nothing new, Capitalism at work nt

[Creideiki]

6. Bravo!

I love satire.

[Cid_B]

7. Guilty...

I bought some virtual gold for 20 bucks and then promptly had to abandon it to switch servers to play with some RL (real life) compatriots.

[MedleyMisty]

8. In Sims 2, gold farmer is a position in the gaming career

People also sell their accounts when they retire - if you're a hardcore raider and have good equipment you can get quite a bit for your character.

My husband and I stopped playing a few months ago and haven't been back - if we didn't have jobs and other RL obligations we'd be hardcore raiders, but because we have stuff to do other than sit at the computer (and also because most of the hardcore raiders are libertarian assholes) we always end up in middle of the road/feeder guilds and get frustrated.

We never bought gold or accounts or anything, but I know some people who did. Sometimes it was for a legitimate reason, like the gold was needed for the guild.

It is very very addictive, and people who already have problems may very well end up addicted to it just like people get addicted to anything else - gambling, drugs, smoking, alcohol, sex - actually almost any human activity can be used as a negative coping mechanism.

[hootinholler]

9. People are making livings onSecond Life. n/t

[cherish44]

10. I read an article about someone who had a business selling platitum on Everquest

She payed people to play Everquest all day and collect the ingame currency and then sold it for real life money to other gamers. I know there are still outfits out there that sell virtual money to gamers. You can also pay someone to "powerlevel" your characters. Some of these games are just not made for newbies, you must be UBER.