1400:
1390:
262:
games, which derive income from subscription fees. This doesn't deter all players from saving playing time by illicitly buying in-game currency with real-world cash from an alternate source– violating their agreement with the game's operator in the process.
223:
In online games, virtual goods could be lost due to some unexpected reasons. This brings problems for service providers as well as purchaser. Encryption techniques primarily used for other purposes may, here too, provide functionality. These may include
586:
100:
in virtual worlds own things within the context of the virtual world and users will collect each games' virtual currency to purchase land, supplies and various items used to enhance their status and add points. Some virtual currencies are
179:, games that primarily derive revenue from the sale of virtual goods, brought in US$ 1 billion, and that is expected to increase to 1.6 billion in 2010. Worldwide, US$ 7.3 billion was made from virtual goods that same year.
583:
186:
vary wildly depending upon who is making the prediction. 2013 sales will be US$ 4 billion according to one analyst and a year later reach 14 billion according to a different analyst.
917:
874:
803:
815:
505:
1000:
828:
160:, in 1997, it became the first company to profit from the sale of virtual goods. But it wasn't until the mid-2000s, with companies like Korean
1025:
34:, on the other hand, may be a broader category including digital books, music, and movies. Virtual goods are intangible by definition.
547:
167:
Virtual goods may continue to be a primarily Asian phenomenon, as between 2007–2010 70% of worldwide sales were made in this region.
984:
208:
generated more than $ 1 billion in revenue across all platforms. This revenue comes entirely from in-game purchases, which — in
544:
957:
914:
77:
Virtual money (or in-game currency) is used to purchase virtual goods within a variety of online communities, which include
871:
720:
650:
855:
1012:
744:
1166:
1056:
696:
480:
455:
157:
945:
266:
637:
568:
532:
1424:
1404:
605:
259:
138:
96:, virtual currencies are specific within each game and are used to purchase in-game goods. Characters or
509:
258:
While many companies have embraced exchanging cash for virtual goods, the practice is forbidden in most
431:
832:
670:
1342:
1241:
890:
378:
343:
149:
54:
1429:
1304:
1113:
164:
leading the way, that virtual good sales became instituted as a legitimate revenue-making scheme.
358:
241:
204:
1257:
1186:
933:
584:
The World of text MMOs / MUDs – An
Interview with Matt Mihaly, CEO of Iron Realms Entertainment
1434:
506:"Lucrative Alternatives to Online Advertising businessweek.com, October 23, 2008, 5:00PM EST"
398:
1367:
1311:
1246:
1221:
1196:
237:
105:, relying upon measurement of in-game achievements in order to accrue exchangeable points.
8:
1252:
1156:
804:
The world’s most lucrative social network? China’s
Tencent beats $ 1 billion revenue mark
102:
46:
1287:
1262:
1211:
1161:
1065:
1049:
153:
130:
118:
97:
42:
1372:
1362:
1318:
1216:
981:
622:
393:
383:
191:
142:
78:
783:
732:
682:
492:
1236:
1231:
270:
125:
and text-only games on other computers. This practice continued with the advent of
62:
50:
23:
988:
921:
878:
859:
590:
551:
436:
134:
1277:
1226:
1201:
1191:
338:
225:
82:
969:
1418:
1206:
1042:
1034:
852:
426:
313:
229:
183:
114:
31:
809:
1394:
1282:
554:
288:
253:
199:
122:
93:
38:
1377:
408:
373:
308:
303:
273:
in 2009, something that had become popular in some parts of the country.
86:
58:
27:
758:"Changyou Selects PlaySpan's UltimatePay for its Online Game Properties"
129:. Players would sell virtual goods, such as swords, coins, potions, and
233:
145:, many online games now derive revenue from the sale of virtual goods.
902:
1176:
368:
363:
328:
745:
Unlike reality, virtual retail sales are hot, especially for avatars
1267:
1171:
1138:
1026:"Here's How You Make $ 12,000 In Profit a Day Selling Virtual Guns"
671:"Fortnite — a free video game — is a billion- dollar money machine"
353:
318:
298:
283:
176:
66:
757:
1352:
1181:
1118:
1085:
1080:
413:
388:
348:
293:
161:
1357:
1133:
126:
65:, and the games that use this model are usually referred to as
1347:
1337:
1090:
1013:
Digital tills are ringing to the sound of an unreal
Christmas
403:
333:
1128:
323:
1123:
1095:
721:
China bars use of virtual money for trading in real goods
723:
PRC Ministry of
Commerce, Monday, June 29, 2009 2100 GMT
22:
are non-physical objects and money purchased for use in
958:
Redefining MMOs: The massive money of microtransactions
896:
651:"Man buys virtual space station for 330k real dollars"
269:
outlawed the practice of buying real-world goods with
61:. Sales of virtual goods are sometimes referred to as
533:
Uh-Oh: World of
Warcraft Introduces Microtransactions
215:
s case — offer no competitive advantage to the game.
623:
Virtual goods revenue to hit $ 7.3 billion this year
569:
Virtual goods give Web firms new revenue in ad slump
495:
news.bbc.co.uk, 10:32 GMT, Thursday, 22 October 2009
643:
638:
A virtual farm turns new ground for game developers
121:, early, graphical online multiplayer games on the
915:Runescape begins first microtransaction experiment
175:In 2009, games played on social networks such as
1416:
697:"Valve sent a cease and desist order to OPSkins"
182:Estimates of the future market for these small
53:and are usually sold by companies that operate
1064:
908:
881:Press Release, playdom.com, September 30, 2009
508:. Businessweek.com. 2008-10-22. Archived from
456:Amazon may benefit as digital goods sales jump
1050:
891:Playfish sees social games as industry driver
189:In 2010, a virtual space station in the game
1006:
633:
631:
476:
474:
472:
470:
468:
466:
464:
939:
846:
829:"KongZhong Corp (KONG.O): FULL DESCRIPTION"
797:
137:. While this practice is forbidden in most
1389:
1057:
1043:
685:bbc.com, 01:36 GMT, Friday, 22 August 2008
608:money.cnn.com, July 27, 2006: 11:35 AM EDT
535:Wired's Game | Life blog, November 6, 2009
528:
526:
481:Virtual Goods: the next big business model
276:
152:began auctioning items to players of its
951:
738:
694:
628:
593:playnoevil.com, Friday, September 8. 2006
571:reuters.com, Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:50pm EST
564:
562:
461:
458:reuters.com, Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:32am EST
884:
872:Playdom Fuels Its Virtual Goods Business
776:
640:reuters.com, Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:05am EDT
113:The first virtual goods to be sold were
625:cnet.com, November 15, 2010 9:51 AM PST
618:
616:
614:
523:
1417:
903:Second Life Marketplace Featured Items
559:
1038:
601:
599:
579:
577:
545:How to Stay in the Game (Part 2 of 2)
45:, virtual goods may be classified as
927:
676:
611:
673:, "Business Insider", July 29, 2018
13:
1003:forbes.com, 10.29.09, 12:40 PM EDT
946:Trade Me founder invests in gaming
733:QQ: China's New Coin of the Realm?
596:
574:
486:
14:
1446:
924:develop-online.net, April 2, 2012
831:. Thomson Reuters. Archived from
784:"Facebook Blog, February 7, 2007"
493:Sales of virtual goods boom in US
1399:
1398:
1388:
683:Poor earning virtual gaming gold
72:
1167:Bartle taxonomy of player types
1018:
994:
975:
963:
865:
821:
806:venturebeat.com, March 19, 2009
786:. Blog.facebook.com. 2007-02-07
750:
726:
714:
688:
663:
606:Cyworld ready to attack MySpace
247:
991:Microsoft's Xbox Official Site
538:
498:
449:
158:Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands
1:
960:massively.com, Sep 11th 2009
442:
934:Virtual Products = Real Cash
483:techcrunch.com, Jun 20, 2007
92:A key revenue driver within
7:
970:The MANN-conomy update: FAQ
764:. PlaySpan, Inc. 2010-03-18
420:
218:
10:
1451:
893:Wed Nov 4, 2009 6:02am EST
432:Walled garden (technology)
251:
170:
108:
55:social networking services
1386:
1343:Iron Realms Entertainment
1328:
1296:
1242:Player versus environment
1147:
1104:
1073:
1015:The Guardian, 17 Dec 2009
379:Sony Online Entertainment
344:Iron Realms Entertainment
150:Iron Realms Entertainment
41:and digital clothing for
1305:Designing Virtual Worlds
982:Xbox 360: Get the Points
1028:, "Vice", June 30, 2015
735:wsj.com, March 30, 2007
359:Second Life Marketplace
277:Virtual goods purveyors
205:Fortnite: Battle Royale
133:, to each other in the
747:USA Today, 23 Dec 2009
141:online games, such as
57:, community sites, or
1001:Zynga's Gaming Gamble
399:Xbox Live Marketplace
1368:Mythic Entertainment
1312:A Rape in Cyberspace
1247:Player versus player
1222:Non-player character
1107:codebases, libraries
238:digital certificates
195:sold for $ 330,000.
1157:Alternate character
1066:Multi-user dungeons
948:tvnz.co.nz, Mar. 11
862:Nexon Official Site
512:on October 27, 2008
1425:Multi-user dungeon
987:2009-01-23 at the
920:2012-04-05 at the
905:Wed April 26, 2011
877:2010-12-29 at the
858:2009-06-01 at the
589:2008-10-02 at the
550:2010-02-07 at the
24:online communities
16:Non-physical goods
1412:
1411:
1373:Plaintext Players
1363:The Mud Connector
936:cnbc.com, Oct. 09
394:World of Warcraft
192:Entropia Universe
143:World of Warcraft
79:social networking
63:microtransactions
1442:
1402:
1401:
1392:
1391:
1237:Player character
1232:Persistent world
1059:
1052:
1045:
1036:
1035:
1029:
1022:
1016:
1010:
1004:
998:
992:
979:
973:
967:
961:
955:
949:
943:
937:
931:
925:
912:
906:
900:
894:
888:
882:
869:
863:
850:
844:
843:
841:
840:
825:
819:
813:
807:
801:
795:
794:
792:
791:
780:
774:
773:
771:
769:
754:
748:
742:
736:
730:
724:
718:
712:
711:
709:
707:
692:
686:
680:
674:
667:
661:
660:
658:
657:
647:
641:
635:
626:
620:
609:
603:
594:
581:
572:
566:
557:
542:
536:
530:
521:
520:
518:
517:
502:
496:
490:
484:
478:
459:
453:
271:virtual currency
214:
1450:
1449:
1445:
1444:
1443:
1441:
1440:
1439:
1430:Virtual economy
1415:
1414:
1413:
1408:
1382:
1330:
1324:
1292:
1249:, Playerkilling
1149:
1143:
1106:
1105:Minor branches,
1100:
1069:
1063:
1033:
1032:
1023:
1019:
1011:
1007:
999:
995:
989:Wayback Machine
980:
976:
968:
964:
956:
952:
944:
940:
932:
928:
922:Wayback Machine
913:
909:
901:
897:
889:
885:
879:Wayback Machine
870:
866:
860:Wayback Machine
851:
847:
838:
836:
827:
826:
822:
814:
810:
802:
798:
789:
787:
782:
781:
777:
767:
765:
756:
755:
751:
743:
739:
731:
727:
719:
715:
705:
703:
695:Preston Byers.
693:
689:
681:
677:
668:
664:
655:
653:
649:
648:
644:
636:
629:
621:
612:
604:
597:
591:Wayback Machine
582:
575:
567:
560:
552:Wayback Machine
543:
539:
531:
524:
515:
513:
504:
503:
499:
491:
487:
479:
462:
454:
450:
445:
437:Virtual economy
423:
418:
279:
256:
250:
221:
212:
173:
135:informal sector
111:
75:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1448:
1438:
1437:
1432:
1427:
1410:
1409:
1387:
1384:
1383:
1381:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1350:
1345:
1340:
1334:
1332:
1326:
1325:
1323:
1322:
1315:
1308:
1300:
1298:
1294:
1293:
1291:
1290:
1285:
1280:
1278:Video game bot
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1227:Online wedding
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1192:Hack and slash
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1153:
1151:
1145:
1144:
1142:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1110:
1108:
1102:
1101:
1099:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1077:
1075:
1074:Major branches
1071:
1070:
1062:
1061:
1054:
1047:
1039:
1031:
1030:
1017:
1005:
993:
974:
962:
950:
938:
926:
907:
895:
883:
864:
845:
820:
818:March 15, 2010
808:
796:
775:
749:
737:
725:
713:
687:
675:
669:Kaylee Fagan,
662:
642:
627:
610:
595:
573:
558:
537:
522:
497:
485:
460:
447:
446:
444:
441:
440:
439:
434:
429:
422:
419:
417:
416:
411:
406:
401:
396:
391:
386:
381:
376:
371:
366:
361:
356:
351:
346:
341:
336:
331:
326:
321:
316:
311:
306:
301:
296:
291:
286:
280:
278:
275:
252:Main article:
249:
246:
242:fingerprinting
226:access control
220:
217:
172:
169:
110:
107:
83:virtual worlds
74:
71:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1447:
1436:
1433:
1431:
1428:
1426:
1423:
1422:
1420:
1407:
1406:
1397:
1396:
1385:
1379:
1376:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1351:
1349:
1346:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1335:
1333:
1331:organizations
1327:
1321:
1320:
1316:
1313:
1309:
1307:
1306:
1302:
1301:
1299:
1295:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1273:Virtual goods
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1207:Kill stealing
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1154:
1152:
1146:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1103:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1072:
1067:
1060:
1055:
1053:
1048:
1046:
1041:
1040:
1037:
1027:
1024:Simon Coutu,
1021:
1014:
1009:
1002:
997:
990:
986:
983:
978:
971:
966:
959:
954:
947:
942:
935:
930:
923:
919:
916:
911:
904:
899:
892:
887:
880:
876:
873:
868:
861:
857:
854:
853:About Company
849:
835:on 2009-11-15
834:
830:
824:
817:
812:
805:
800:
785:
779:
763:
759:
753:
746:
741:
734:
729:
722:
717:
702:
698:
691:
684:
679:
672:
666:
652:
646:
639:
634:
632:
624:
619:
617:
615:
607:
602:
600:
592:
588:
585:
580:
578:
570:
565:
563:
556:
553:
549:
546:
541:
534:
529:
527:
511:
507:
501:
494:
489:
482:
477:
475:
473:
471:
469:
467:
465:
457:
452:
448:
438:
435:
433:
430:
428:
427:Skin gambling
425:
424:
415:
412:
410:
407:
405:
402:
400:
397:
395:
392:
390:
387:
385:
382:
380:
377:
375:
372:
370:
367:
365:
362:
360:
357:
355:
352:
350:
347:
345:
342:
340:
337:
335:
332:
330:
327:
325:
322:
320:
317:
315:
312:
310:
307:
305:
302:
300:
297:
295:
292:
290:
287:
285:
282:
281:
274:
272:
268:
264:
261:
255:
245:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
216:
211:
207:
206:
201:
198:The popular,
196:
194:
193:
187:
185:
180:
178:
168:
165:
163:
159:
155:
151:
146:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
124:
120:
116:
106:
104:
99:
95:
90:
88:
87:online gaming
84:
80:
73:Virtual money
70:
68:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
44:
40:
39:digital gifts
35:
33:
32:Digital goods
29:
25:
21:
20:Virtual goods
1435:Micropayment
1403:
1393:
1317:
1303:
1297:Publications
1272:
1217:Mob, Monster
1020:
1008:
996:
977:
965:
953:
941:
929:
910:
898:
886:
867:
848:
837:. Retrieved
833:the original
823:
811:
799:
788:. Retrieved
778:
766:. Retrieved
762:playspan.com
761:
752:
740:
728:
716:
704:. Retrieved
700:
690:
678:
665:
654:. Retrieved
645:
555:blizzard.com
540:
514:. Retrieved
510:the original
500:
488:
451:
265:
257:
254:Gold farming
248:Illicit sale
222:
209:
203:
200:free-to-play
197:
190:
188:
181:
174:
166:
147:
123:PLATO system
117:for use in
112:
94:social media
91:
76:
59:online games
36:
28:online games
19:
18:
1378:Simutronics
1150:terminology
701:Dot Esports
409:Flirtomatic
374:SmallWorlds
309:Habbo hotel
304:Gaia online
260:blockbuster
202:video game
139:blockbuster
49:instead of
1419:Categories
1329:Companies,
1319:Terra Nova
1288:Zone, Area
972:Valve 2010
839:2012-05-28
790:2012-11-26
656:2010-06-23
516:2012-11-26
443:References
234:encryption
103:time-based
81:websites,
37:Including
1148:Concepts,
369:Slide.com
364:RuneScape
329:Kongzhong
1405:Category
1268:Twinking
1258:Spawning
1202:Immortal
1187:Grinding
1172:Cybersex
1139:TinyMUCK
985:Archived
918:Archived
875:Archived
856:Archived
816:ABC News
768:June 12,
706:7 August
587:Archived
548:Archived
421:See also
354:Playfish
319:Hotornot
299:Facebook
289:Changyou
284:Cellufun
219:Research
210:Fortnite
177:Facebook
67:freemium
47:services
1353:Lysator
1182:Griefer
1119:GodWars
1086:DikuMUD
1081:AberMUD
414:OPSkins
389:Tencent
349:Playdom
294:Cyworld
230:hashing
171:Revenue
162:Cyworld
131:avatars
127:MMORPGs
109:History
98:avatars
89:sites.
69:games.
43:avatars
1358:Kesmai
1283:Wizard
1197:Healer
1162:Avatar
1134:Talker
1068:(MUDs)
240:, and
1348:Jagex
1338:Areae
1253:Quest
1091:LPMud
404:Zynga
384:Valve
334:Nexon
267:China
213:'
184:items
148:When
115:items
51:goods
1395:List
1263:Tank
1212:Loot
1129:MUSH
770:2012
708:2019
339:Ning
324:IMVU
119:MUDs
85:and
1177:God
1124:MOO
1114:DGD
1096:MU*
314:Hi5
154:MUD
26:or
1421::
760:.
699:.
630:^
613:^
598:^
576:^
561:^
525:^
463:^
244:.
236:,
232:,
228:,
156:,
30:.
1314:"
1310:"
1058:e
1051:t
1044:v
842:.
793:.
772:.
710:.
659:.
519:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.