Archive for 'Virtual Business, Finance and Economics'
Gaming Open Market suspends trading after being defrauded
Our friends at Gaming Open Market have suspended trading in all game currencies except Second Life Lindens after being defrauded for $3K US by a buyer of ISK and SWG credits. As might be expected, it is the usual scam taking advantage of the fact that PayPal refuses to honor purchases of “virtual” goods. (Remember [...]
Full StorySecond Life Real Estate Sales Picked up by Press
Seems like the sales of “real estate” by the Lindens (and the “taxation of it) are catching a lot of attention, starting with this Reuters article, and this meta-discussion on Terra Nova. I wonder what MMORPG Reuters was referring to with this remark: “The Second Life world is a little over a year old, but [...]
Full StoryGaming Open Market Rocks On
Even though Gaming Open Market has left TSO (and who can blame them!), we still like to follow their project. Following is their latest press release. One thing that caught my eye is that when version 1.4 comes onstream in Second Life they are going to have full service tellers. Nice. Rock on Jamie!
Full StoryThe rise of Ted Castronova and the study of Virtual Economies
Good to see our friend Ted Castronova featured in this article from Walrus Magazine. It is a really nice piece about how Ted resurrected his academic career when he started to think about virtual economies as real economies. Of course, I can’t resist pointing out that Ted was an interview subject in the AVH before [...]
Full StoryNew Edition of Gir Out
Well I understand that the first incarnation of this post generated some controversy. If you have issues with this post please feel free to contact Peter J. Ludlow: ludlow@umich.edu. Leave the Phantom out of it. And just to show you all how well it works to try and bully the AVH into dropping a story, [...]
Full StoryGAMING OPEN MARKET leaves TSO, continues in 2L, There, etc.
By Atlantis Several months ago we interviewed Jamie Hale of Gaming Open Market. Since then, GOM has left TSO because of lack of interest. Its business on There and Second Life appears to be growing, however. In this story, our reporter Atlantis checks in on GOM for an update, and for our new readers, an [...]
Full StoryPayPal Phishin? in Alphaville
By Atlantis Love phishing? Well let me assure you from a first hand perspective that you won?t like this kind! I had never heard of this latest scamming phenomenon until I was a victim myself! Let me bring you back to the day not so long ago?
Full StoryPierce Entertainment LTD: Alphaville’s Media/Entertainment Conglomerate
In this interview we talk to Eliza Collins, Executive Director of Operations for Pierce Entertainment LTD. Eliza tells us about plans for the Diamond Memorial Theater and the Pierce Entertainment Network, which are both under the umbrella of Pierce Entertainment LTD. She talks about the obstacles they face in producing plays and televisions programs on [...]
Full StoryMaze is back! But Maxis Fumbles the Fix
by Ian Many of you have heard about the reintroduction of The Tomb Hunters of the Lost Llama aka “The Maze”. The Maze was taken out of service in the holiday season of 2003 because of exploitation by 3rd party mazebot programs. Before that sims could literally make ten’s of millions of simoleans a day, [...]
Full StoryAlphaville is *not* big in Japan
Big in Japan-alright, pay! Then I’ll sleep by your side Things are easy when you’re big in Japan–Alphaville, “Big in Japan” Well, for weeks we’ve been told that the Japanese players would be here soon. And a week or so ago the game opened to the Japanese market with its Japanese language chat interface. The [...]
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