Home buying in the U.S. might be down 16%, but the virtual orbital housing market is booming. In the MMO Planet Calypso (formerly Entropia Universe) player “Buzz Erik Lightyear” has laid down $330,000 of his own real life money to purchase a 3.3 million dollar space station in the online game.
Now you might ask yourself why someone would dump so much real life money in a virtual world, but this isn’t the first time a purchase like this was made. In the online game Second life Anshe Chung (Ailin Graef) has turned an 
initial outlay of $9.95 into virtual assets worth at least $US1 million in real money by selling land and housing in the game.
Back In 2006, Entropia personality Jon Jacobs mortgaged his house to buy an online asteroid in the world for $100,000, then a record for the most expensive in-game purchase ever. Jacobs proceeded to set up an exclusive in-game club called “Club Xanadu”, and would go on to be a real-life businessman in a virtual space to recoup his money.
So if you are being foreclosed on and have no place to live you can rest uncomfortably knowing that people are paying a premium for virtual real estate online. I would be outraged, but then again I’ve spent almost $300 in server transfer fees in World of Warcraft.
J.A. Laraque is a freelance writer and novelist. His passion for writing mixed with a comedic style and intelligent commentary has brought him success in his various endeavors. Whatever the subject, J.A. has an opinion on it and will present it in writing with an insight and flair that is both refreshing and informative. 
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