Online gaming has grown over the past two decades to become a huge phenomenon that sees millions of players battling, trading and questing together, as they look to improve their characters and improve their stats. While most people are happy to do this the old fashioned way, some want to take shortcuts and rather than spending countless hours developing their virtual selves, they elect to spend real world cash. Here we reveal a list of the biggest spends made for virtual items… yes, it’s real, so deal with it.
In usual day gamming, developers actively promote the selling and buying of virtual items. Some of these games have markets that are just as sophisticated as the ones used by real life traders, bankers or e-commerce players. However, this article will explore those games and look at the most expensive video game items that have ever been sold, either within the titles themselves or through other means such as eBay.
- CLUB NEVERDIE IN ENTROPIA UNIVERSE – $635,000
You don’t make a massive deal like the nest egg without an ego to match. Naming it after himself, Jon NEVERDIE Jacobs bought this asteroid resort for around 100 thousand dollars in 2005, taking out a mortgage on his very real house to do it. Featuring 20 biodomes, 66 shops, 1000 apartments and even teleporters, the taxation revenues from owning the site allegedly allowed Jacobs to recoup his investment in as little as eight months. Its claim to most expensive virtual item was broken by Crystal Palace only to be reclaimed when Jacobs sold the club in segments for a total of 635 thousand dollars.
- CRYSTAL PALACE FROM ENTROPIA UNIVERSE – $330,000
If you think modern real estate has gotten expensive, go online. One of the many profitable and expansive locations in Entropia Universe, this space station served as a popular destination for those travelling around Planet Calypso. Since the owner could set taxes for players hunting and operating out of the station, it could be quite feasible to make a decent living by running it. That’s apparently what user Buzz “Erik” Light-year was thinking when he purchased the station for over 3 million in in-game currency, converting to over 300 thousand dollars. To infinity and beyond indeed buzz.
- AMSTERDAM FROM SECOND LIFE – $50,000
For this big of a price-tag you could move to Amsterdam. A fascinating recreation of the Dutch city, this part of the virtual life sim tried to replicate the real city with a canal and streetcars, while also focusing intensely on one of its seedier aspects. With sex shops and adult clubs filling the city, it was hard to notice the replicas of iconic buildings, especially with constant soliciting for paid-cybersex around the train station and red light district. Needless to say the location remained a constantly popular destination making the fact that it sold for 50 thousand dollars on eBay a lot more believable.
- ETHEREAL FLAMES PINK WAR DOG IN DOTA 2 – $38,000
When you’re dealing with this many rarities, the value can get little nuts. This lengthily named animal is more than just an online pet though. Known as a courier in Valve’s extremely popular MOBA, the beast transports items for players, making it very useful. Due to a War Dog’s power, compounded with the ethereal flame effect and a color that was allegedly a glitch, this item was as rare as they come. Taking to Reddit, player PAADA sold it online for 38 thousand dollars, which after later patch updates lowering its rarity, is likely the highest it will ever sell.
- TREASURE ISLAND IN ENTROPIA UNIVERSE – $26,500
While many games have simple trading systems and maybe get their own auction house, very few have economy systems as substantial as “Entropia Universe.” Due to the game’s “Real Cash Economy” system, players could cash their money out at a rate of 10:1 on the US dollar, effectively making the games properties as valuable as actual real estate. One such lot was the massive Treasure Island, which developer MindArk was auctioning off on the merit of its mining and hunting benefits, along with taxation rights for the island. It worked too as player David Storey shelled out over 26 thousand dollars to own it.