2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
Rumble in the economical jungle
By: Melinda Jacobs
Issue date: 7/11/07 Section: Pulse
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Lots of things affect the stock market and the value of monetary currencies. For example, politics, current events, the rise and fall of various companies, or how much gold a mob of elves are able to get from a murloc all effect … Wait a minute, half-fish, half-man murlocs? Elves? Seriously?
You'd better believe it.
What started as a little ripple has slowly become a great disturbance within the already turbulent waters of the economic market. There's now another fish in the lake, and so far it appears that this lake isn't big enough for two.
Who is this new intruder that obeys only the rules of environments that don't even exist physically? Welcome the new age of the digital economy.
The digital economy, also known in the gaming world as Real Money Trading (RMT), involves the trading and selling of virtual items, items that exist only in virtual worlds such as World of Warcraft, for real life currencies or other physical items of value.
That's right, selling virtual items for physical dollars. This is a practice that organizations such as Swagvault Internet Gaming Services Co. Ltd focus their entire companies around. Swagvault collects and sells items collected within virtual markets, such as items, in-game currencies or even gaming characters of high rank, in the physical markets.
Mr. Power Kong, CEO of Swagvault, explained that his company simply offers services to players who wish to enjoy the game further, but do not have the time to invest in the games.
"Our mission … is to allow them [the items] to be enjoyed freely in the virtual world instead of simply being 'virtual assets' within themselves," Kong said.
And like most similar companies, Kong and his company procure their products through the currently controversial method of "gold farming." Gold farming is where a company pays players to play the game and acquire objects or characters of which the company then later sells.
"The services we offer our customers are fulfilled by professional online game players, most of who live in China, and some who live in other developing countries," Kong said. "They log in the North American and European game servers, and farm the in-game items or level up a character manually, just like other common players."
You'd better believe it.
What started as a little ripple has slowly become a great disturbance within the already turbulent waters of the economic market. There's now another fish in the lake, and so far it appears that this lake isn't big enough for two.
Who is this new intruder that obeys only the rules of environments that don't even exist physically? Welcome the new age of the digital economy.
The digital economy, also known in the gaming world as Real Money Trading (RMT), involves the trading and selling of virtual items, items that exist only in virtual worlds such as World of Warcraft, for real life currencies or other physical items of value.
That's right, selling virtual items for physical dollars. This is a practice that organizations such as Swagvault Internet Gaming Services Co. Ltd focus their entire companies around. Swagvault collects and sells items collected within virtual markets, such as items, in-game currencies or even gaming characters of high rank, in the physical markets.
Mr. Power Kong, CEO of Swagvault, explained that his company simply offers services to players who wish to enjoy the game further, but do not have the time to invest in the games.
"Our mission … is to allow them [the items] to be enjoyed freely in the virtual world instead of simply being 'virtual assets' within themselves," Kong said.
And like most similar companies, Kong and his company procure their products through the currently controversial method of "gold farming." Gold farming is where a company pays players to play the game and acquire objects or characters of which the company then later sells.
"The services we offer our customers are fulfilled by professional online game players, most of who live in China, and some who live in other developing countries," Kong said. "They log in the North American and European game servers, and farm the in-game items or level up a character manually, just like other common players."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Rod
posted 9/17/07 @ 9:39 AM EST
enjoyed article this article, Rumble in the economical jungle...
now google
see how many complaints for services not provided as contracted this company has. (Continued…)
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