Wanna Buy Some Land In My Head?

With the coming worldwide economic collapse why not invest in the latest sure thing...Virtual Real Estate!

Gamer buys $26,500 virtual land

A 22-year-old gamer has spent $26,500 (£13,700) on an island that exists only in a computer role-playing game (RPG)

The Australian gamer, known only by his gaming moniker Deathifier, bought the island in an online auction.

The land exists within the game Project Entropia, an RPG which allows thousands of players to interact with each other.
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Earlier this year economists calculated that these massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have a gross economic impact equivalent to the GDP of the African nation of Namibia.

The virtual island includes a gigantic abandoned castle and beautiful beaches which are described as ripe for developing beachfront property.

Deathifier will make money from his investment as he is able to tax other gamers who come to his virtual land to hunt or mine for gold.

• A unique castle (furniture not included)


• Hunting


• Mining rights


• Taxation rights on hunting and mining activities


• Income from the sale of land lots

He has also begun to sell plots to people who wish to build virtual homes.

"This type of investment will definitely become a trend in online gaming," said Deathifier.

The Entopia economy lets gamers exchange real currency into PED (Project Entropia Dollars) and back again into real money.

Ten PEDs are the equivalent to one US dollar and typical items sold include iron ingots ($5) and shogun armour ($1.70)

Gamers can theoretically earn money by accumulating PEDs through the acquisition of goods, buildings, and land in the Entropia universe.

And we can grow virtual grains & vegetables, live in virtually pristine, unspoilt land, kill those who anger us with impunity (and be killed without feeling any pain, then come back to life!), never have to change diapers, not be answerable to anybody, leave the game whenever we want, never have to clean up, drain the septic tanks, worry about the water table, etc etc — it's the promised land! Since reality is all a question of perception, we can at last achieve paradise! (Until we have to return to our wage-slavery the next day, that is.)

Hey, while we're moving the concept of private property to the next level of abstraction, let's do the same for community. Oh, wait...nevermind...