:: It doesn't happen, huh? ::

I was chatting with a close friend of mine recently, someone who is a fellow undergrad sociology student and fellow researcher on the digital games research project I'm part of at Concordia. During our conversation, I mentioned that I'm interested in studying the subversive tensions and power plays between gamers and the MMPOG VWs they play in.

She asked me, "what tensions? what power plays?"

I mentioned that one area in particular that interests me is the active underground pseudo-black market that goes on around the net for things like high level spells, game objects and game points/credits, the kind of thing that can let a 1st level dwarf in EQ become a 150 level something just by buying these virtual items or statuses on the major auction sites or at any of the player-managed auction sites that specialize in this kind of thing.

She laughs and says, "that kind of thing is over-hyped. It doesn't really happen".

Now, coming from anyone else, I might have laughed back at them and argued. But this person is an EQ veteran, participant in many an EQ quest, and one of the most knowledgeable people I know on the true inner dynamics of the game, from the player perspective.

So I didn't laugh back. I just shrugged and changed the subject.

Then today, I found Edward Castronova's blog. Edward is an assistant professor at Fullerton University and is interested in the digital games and virtual worlds (VWs), just as I am. He's been researching this stuff too, but from the economics perspective.

And there, on his blog, was my rebuttal for my friend...

Since July 1, 2003, players have traded and bought over $6 million in virtual game assets.

$6 million!

...in US dollars!

Wow!

But that kind of thing doesn't happen, huh?

Guess I'm learning.