The Rise of Video Game Economies by PBS Off Book

“The Rise of Video Game Economies” by PBS Off Book explores the history and current status of economies and currencies within video games like World of Warcraft, including controversial gold farms.

While players of multi-player games are aware of their in-game economies, their growth and complexity would surprise many outside the world of gaming. With hundreds of millions of players around the world, MMOGs’ in-game economies generate massive amounts of real dollars (i.e. MILLIONS), and real world economic theories can even be applied to these worlds. Many are now so big that game developers have hired real world economists to help them manage these complex systems. But with secondary economies, gold farming and other issues surfacing, are these systems in need of more attention, or even regulation?

submitted via Laughing Squid Tips