LINK: www.entropiaforum.com/for...php?t=7765
MindArk Official Press Release
EntropiaForum have recieved MindArk's official Press Release concerning the sale of the Space Resort.
For Immediate Release
October 26, 2005
US FILM-MAKER PAYS US $100,000 FOR VIRTUAL REAL ESTATE IN THE LARGEST VIRTUAL PURCHASE EVER
Just Three Days after Launch, Project Entropia Announces Winner of First Virtual Space Resort Auction
(Gothenburg, SWEDEN) AC/a,!aEUoe Project Entropia, the fastest growing virtual world utilizing a real cash economy, today announces film-maker and director of the movie "Hey DJ!", Jon Jacobs, a.k.a. "NEVERDIE", as the winner of this historic auction for virtual real estate. The auction began taking bids on the 21st of October and just three days later its buyout price was met. The auction includes a virtual Space Resort. The final bid was the astonishing amount of $100,000 US, the largest amount ever spent in the massive multiplayer online gaming space, surpassing last years world record-breaking sale of the virtual Treasure Island almost four times!
The Space Resort as a true high point in the MMORPG virtual gaming community as it provides instant Real cash revenue to the new owner. The Resort, boasting such facilities as a 1000 Apartment complex, Commercial Space Ship Docking, Themed Shopping Mall, and a Mega Stadium for championship sporting events. It also contains a Nightclub with multiple Dance floors, Live Amphitheater, lounges, and 10 Hunting Biodomes with individual land management facilities which will enable the creative owner to create Rare, Unique and Exotic creatures, is at a never before seen scope of virtual real estate. Mining and PvP fighting areas are available. In addition the Resort will feature Owner Operated PA System for streaming music and video to biodomes and screens/billboards strategically placed throughout the space resort and, for a fee, even a planetside Video Billboard Network, located in all major towns and cities can be accessed for marketing.
AC/a,!A"The sale of the Space Resort, which met final buyout bid in just three days time, shows that the awareness of investing in virtual universe really has exploded! The Project Entropia participants see this extension of the virtual universe as a natural next step in an online community,AC/a,!? Marco Behrmann, MindArk Director of Community Relations, says, AC/a,!A"This is an enormous validation that Project Entropia leads the way in future online entertainment and business.AC/a,!?
Excited buyer Jon Jacobs says "The real estate market inside the Project Entropia universe is on fire, because there is so much money to be made, Gamers everywhere are realizing that our virtual worlds can compete with reality on an economic level. The Space Resort which I plan to name 'CLUB NEVERDIE' is the perfect vehicle to bridge both reality and Virtual Reality. I'm, already in talks with some of the worlds biggest DJ's about spinning Live sets inside the Nightclubs. Gamers want to be entertained while they play, hunt, socialize and craft and because of the real cash economy aspects of Project Entropia, they can afford to pay for their entertainment. Club Neverdie will enable the Entertainment industry to reach inside Virtual Reality and target the Gamer while he's in his element while also harnessing the economic power of the Gamers to raise the quality level of the content on offer traditionally a club, theater or a stadium were the only live venues, where you could have a social experience while enjoying your favorite artists. But now Virtual Reality can offer an alternative that anyone who has ever played a video game is already pre-conditioned to enjoy. I truly think that this will be the decade that Gaming and Virtual Reality changes the face of popular culture."
Project Entropia is part of the next generation of gaming known as MMORPG (massive multi-player online role playing gaming) which seem to resemble more of a virtual world and society rather than a typical online video game. This new wave of interactive entertainment allows players to interact in a world of three-dimensional virtual environments.
However unlike many other MMORPGAC/a,!a,,C/s, Project Entropia actively supports sales of virtual products with actual cash value within its real economy system. The economy offers the user a secure and safe way to make purchases, sales and exchange real life currency into PED (Project Entropia Dollars) and back again into real money, at a fixed exchange rate to the US Dollar. PED allows members to invest in personal development and growth through the acquisition of goods, buildings, and land in the Entropia universe.
The heart of Project Entropia lies in a distant planet named Calypso, which includes two continents with large expanding cities that offer a variety of entertainment and social interaction for the citizens. Members of Entropia can create their own persona (avatar), via a character generation system, allowing them to choose a suitable life and virtual existence. Characters enter the evolving world full of unexplored and uncultivated lands where they can join a community or even create a civilization of their own. Project Entropia offers a new way for individuals to pursue dreams and fantasies through an adventurous virtual experience.
Last year Project Entropia sold a virtual Treasure Island for 26,500 US Dollar to 22-year old Australian David Storey, a.k.a. "Deathifier". With the sale of the Space Resort, that world record (noted in Gunniess World Records), is broken, and a new one is set at 100,000 US Dollar.
About Project Entropia and MindArk
Project Entropia is a registered trademark of MindArk PE AB. MindArk supports and monitors the services and maintenance of the Project Entropia site. MindArk began in April of 2003 in Sweden, and has expanded to have partners throughout the world. Project Entropia was launched in 2003 and has reached over 300,000 registered accounts. MindArk offers the Project Entropia software to users free of charge with no monthly costs or associated subscription fees.
For more information or to download the free Project Entropia software please visit www.project-entropia.com.
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Related discussion threads:
www.entropiaforum.com/for...php?t=7648
www.entropiaforum.com/for...php?t=7734
-MindBuster
Edited by: Auriex at: 10/28/05 12:33
Finding this news last night, I couldn't post it right away since all I could think to do in response to such a story was bang my head repeatedly against the keyboard.
Now that itaEU(tm)s settled in, I recognize that at root this is might be a smart financial decision for the person who purchased the Space Station. Though I donaEU(tm)t have proof through a link, I heard that the person who bought Treasure Island for $27,000 last December is already turning a profit due to the nature of however you make money in Entropia. ItaEU(tm)s possible that when this Space Station is built, it might produce revenue in the long run for Neverdie.
ThataEU(tm)s from purely financial perspective. From a rational oneaEU|am I alone in think this is a little nutty? Is this just the next logical step with online games and I need to get with the times and accept it? There are certainly examples of other completely intangible intellectual information out there that would sell for $100,000 or more.
Not sure where to go with discussion on this. Thoughts, feelings? Is it dangerous to start mixing the addictive nature of mmorpgs with gambling? Are there some folks out there who know a bit about Project Entropia that can fill me in on how people manage to make money in that game?
Another link I found while searching for the story above:
*Second story down on page* www.twarriors.com/ti/index.php
There might be rules for how in-game money is transferred to aEU~real cashaEU(tm) that IaEU(tm)m unaware of butaEU|31,644 PED (Project Entropia Dollars) on the critter. At a 10:1 exchange rate to USDaEU|did this player just obtain $3,164 for killing a mob in an online game??? Please tell me I'm wrong.
- Max
Well...you're here to see it - The next major innovation in online gaming - When I first heard of Project Entropia a few years back, I didn't think it would evolve beyond buying in game items for real life dollars. But take a whole lotta innovation, some creative programmers, financial planning and modern technology and you have an amazing product.
I don't know anything about the game, but you know it's only a matter of time before real life companies start buying in game advertising.
If you want to make money, be the first to invent a USB Toilet that you can flush with your keyboard and a USB Pizza Machine, since those folks are never going to leave their houses.
Fascinating and tragic at the same time...Maybe some miracle will happen and countries will fight virtual wars instead of real ones. There is an interesting Star Trek episode about this. You other Trekkies may remember it.
Ron Jaffe AKA Diggo McDiggity
Discussion Board Administrator
On-Line Gamers Anonymous
Co-Founder of OLGA and member since 2002
I wonder how he paid for it? Put it on his credit card?
Liz Woolley
I checked out the screenshots on the website - If they are representative of the quality of the in-game graphics, then I'd have to say, "Yucko."
I think games like this which allow people to root themselves so heavily in a virtual environment to the point where every one of his real life worries or 'defects' can be forgotten only serves to decay the person's real life. Eventually it will be no wonder why he will be antisocial, self-conscious and have self-esteem to face real life challenges.
Getting cut and bruised, fired from your job, having no money to pay rent, not fitting into certain social circles, blowing up your car engine, breaking a leg, being ugly and learning to deal with it...being fat and learning to deal with it. These are all things that build character.
The more stress and strife you face in your life growing up, the less you have to worry about when you are older. This is why older folks aren't as stressed out as young people are.
So...bury yourself in games without learning how to deal with your real life stressors, and you'll never have to tools to deal with real life.
George Carlin was right...
Ron
Ron Jaffe AKA Diggo McDiggity
Discussion Board Administrator
On-Line Gamers Anonymous
Co-Founder of OLGA and member since 2002
Is this suprising to anyone? That the real world will inevitably turn into a virtual one? Remember Matrix? You just never know...hrmm. Although, I'd certainly play a game that payed me real world money.... $3100 or so for killing what mob?!?!? I can kill one mob a month and be good on bills and stuff, woot!
~Chris
I can see why the man in question bought the space station. He's obviously doing it to make money. What I don't understand is what the heck are his customers thinking? What do they get out of it? Then again, buying virtual condos on a virtual space station is no more strange than buying a life size replica of Darth Vader for $9000, or a rare Beanie Baby for $500 (remember those?) The people who will buy virtual property are a small subset of online gamers, just as the proud owners of life size Darth Vader replicas are a small subset of Star Wars fans.
Edited by: boredhousewife677 at: 10/30/05 11:36
Ya, somebody is making $$ on this. Is there REALLY money to be made in a virutal condo...maybe you can buy it cheap and sell it high $$
~Chris
I am sure there can be money in it.
But after the game is shelved because it is no longer making money, what do you have?
Liz Woolley
The real estate market inside the Project Entropia universe is on fire, because there is so much money to be made, Gamers everywhere are realizing that our virtual worlds can compete with reality on an economic level. Whoa, this is very interesting article, most likely if you're a gamer.
http://www.