Building A Business In A Virtual World (2ndlife Etc)
World of Warcraft is a very popular online game which includes massive multiplayers
. These games is known as massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG, that was taken from a very popular game World of Wizards and Warriors that was inspired by Lord of the rings.
There have been several advances in the technology of video games which have allowed the users to assume a totally different virtual identity. These users can also interact in many ways with the thousands of other users of the same game in a 3D online Internet-based world. MMORPGs have a capacity to allow their users to create up their own character attributes by completing the given targets and collecting items. These games charge a typical monthly subscription fees so that the user can access to their server. This server is owned by them and has vast realms online.
Sony online entertainment that was launched in 2004 had its first version of the Everguest and World of Witchcraft that was presented by Blizzard entertainments was also launched in the same year. The technological advances that were made in the field of Internet made it possible for a several thousand users all over the world to use the Broadband Internet and also have unlimited access to such virtual worlds. They might pay a minimum amount of subscription fees either on a monthly basis or on a yearly basis depending on the rules and regulations of the company providing it. In January 2005, there was a survey was carried out to count the total subscription Of MMORPG's. This survey returned are very high-numbers of subscriptions that crossed the barrier of 13 million. This survey was carried out by the industry site known as MMOGchart.com. Also a survey carried out by the NPD group estimated the total game developers ranking to pay to $292 million in subscription fees in the year 2005.
The success attracted the attention of most of the real world governments towards the Virtual worlds and the use of it for them. China is a country where a majority of the Gold farming companies are located. Thus it was reported that China began to penalize the gamers who played the massive multiplayer games online for more than three consecutive hours. The Korean government was also said to be considering penalising the real money trade based on online games. The Korean government gave the reason of disruption of business behind penalizing the online gamers and games. But this only worked as an advertising and promotional agent for the online games.
Thus the online games can prove to be very profitable if they are directed in a proper way. The online gamers can also earn a large amount of profit only by playing certain characters and following the rules and regulations of the game.