Curse

EternalTempest · May 02, 2006, 09:55 PM // 21:55

Entropia (http://www.entropiauniverse.com/en/rich/5000.html) is a Sci-Fi based MMORPH that is free to get and no monthly fee.. the catch the entire game runs off a real cash. $1 = 10 EB currency in game. Money use to take 50 days (aka cash your EB to money less a 1.5% fee) to get back...

Here's the kicker now you can get an ATM card to get money you earn back much quicker. Not joking

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060502-6723.html

Quote:

Welter says that the ATM project has taken years to complete, mostly due to safeguards against hacking, money laundering, and other "potential abuses." While MindArk has worked with the Swedish government and tax authorities, the US IRS and law enforcement agencies have not contacted the company yet. But that has to be just a matter of time. The game boasts 250,000 players and an annual turnover of US$165 million last year, so there is a lot of money flowing around this closed system.

Expect the IRS to get intersted very quick..

Mercury Angel · May 02, 2006, 11:35 PM // 23:35

That is what I'd call a pyramid scheme. More convoluted than most (using a video game environment as the twist), but the economic system can't really work any other way.

The people at the top make a lot of money, a small minority of regular players make a bit of money, and the bulk of the rest of players lose, all fueled by recruitment of new players, and new money.

But it hardly matters. I'm sure most people either already know, or wouldn't care.

As to the ATM cards specifically, I'm not really that surprised in that itself, so much as that they were able to sell a system of banks on the idea o_O

EternalTempest · May 02, 2006, 11:53 PM // 23:53

I can see the "trap" I pay x per month to pay wow, I can devert $15 a month and dump in this mmorph and if I'm "good" I can make money for free...

There is a guy who bough 12k to by a manor and he makes money charging hunters on his land to use it... he is making his money back but those hunters..

What scared me is I saw this 6 months or a year ago (about the guy who put in 12k) and thinking this would not last..