making money through virtual stores?
By Rysonia
@Rysonia (310)
United States
May 29, 2010 8:05am CST
I was recently searching through the internet when I remembered an online store I visited years ago. I Googled for information and discovered that not only was that store still in business but several more just like it had opened up. These stores all sell in-game items such as Gold for games such as Ultima Online.
What gets me is is it possible for a small group, investing in older accounts to actually make money selling in-game items? I noticed many of these stores had expanded to include multiple games, but each game has a ton of different servers within that game itself. How would one discover how many people actually work at this job?
Does anyone on here do anything like this? Selling of in-game products for real world cash.
4 responses
@mallobaude (1)
• Netherlands
29 May 10
I have been tempted a lot of the time, but in my view it not only breaks the moral code of a true gamer, but it also makes the game a worse place to be in. Try to visualise how it would be if 10% of the new accounts gets instant max level with uber gear, While every one else is working hard for their levelling experience. Now does it not make you feel really bad if you worked for months and someone with more money just goes ahead and buys an account? Same with buying equipment, you will be farming for weeks to either find the piece you want or to get enough gold to buy it in-game. While the people who are willing to spend 60 bucks for it just go ahead and buy it without a sweat.
You can compare it to the "pvp" private servers for most mmo games. they give a new player instant max level, good gear and then you are standing there, in the newbie area of a game you might not ever played before, without a clue how you even kill something, not to speak about skill trees, stat point distribution, Skill chains, armour upgrading/enhancing, raid forming, end level areas, or whatever else you can possibly think of that makes the gamer good at what he/she's doing.
I've experienced it a few times when a friend told me I had to check out that server cause they had something awesome, while I didn't even knew the whole game. It just makes you lost, unable to think of what to do now, since your already have it all. It makes the life of a game shorter for you, while your spending much more money on it.
In-game markets are also affected by this phenomenon. They tend to revolve around the big items, they shift a lot of currency from one person to another, but if the circle of gold vs item is broken by real world currency, the shift of power is shifted. Now if this happens once or twice it's not a big deal. but if some big players come in the market that either buy all the big stuff to make dollars, or spend dollars to make a lot of in-game currency by selling big stuff, it tends to break down.
@Rysonia (310)
• United States
30 May 10
I'm not sure about the other games, Ultima Online gives a nod to the businesses that make money selling in-game items. The majority of which is gold and regeants (both magical and mundane) which the player needs tens of thousands of in order to rank up. But then apparently unlike other games UO doesn't have a problem retaining members after they rank up, they have so many things to keep the players active and such a turn over of new rares and rewards that where they lose the most players is in the repetition of getting their stats up.
Also, the in-game market isn't being harmed from what I can tell as the RL stores are purchasing from in-game using gold (at upper levels it doesn't take long for 4 or 5 players to go and really rake in the gold). But the I guess most of the UO market is centered around items needed to make crafts, magical reagents, ingots, boards, etc...
I have noticed some of the stores are now leveling characters for money on the UO stored, not sure I agree with that. Far to much risk involved. But no as a gamer it never bothered me people buying others accounts. It's like buying a furnished house. *shrugs*
And yes, UO is the only online store I really know about. Years ago I used to buy gold from one store to go hit up the vendors to buy goods.
@Javelin (100)
• Philippines
27 Jul 11
Yes I also heard of this. Actually a lot of gamers are already doing this since before it became popular in the web. Since the "Ragnarok" days(if ever you are familiar with the game) and also I know a lot of people who earns that way. Specially those who are really addicted on the game=)
@xeroeight (1060)
• Philippines
29 May 10
well when I was addict in perfect world, I manage to sell 3 items for Php1000, and some of my friends sell Item/money on there online games for real cash.
