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22-YEAR-OLD GAMER PAYS US $26,500 FOR VIRTUAL REAL ESTATE IN LARGEST MMORPG PURCHASE EVER

Discussion in 'Entropia News' started by EntropiaPlanets, Dec 14, 2004.

  1. Dec 14, 2004 #1
    EntropiaPlanets

    EntropiaPlanets

    December 14, 2004


    22-YEAR-OLD GAMER PAYS US $26,500 FOR VIRTUAL REAL ESTATE IN LARGEST MMORPG PURCHASE EVER

    At the End of a Grueling Race to the Finish, Project Entropia Announces Winner of First Virtual Treasure Island Auction

    (Los Angeles, CA) – Project Entropia, the fastest growing virtual world utilizing a real cash economy, today announces twenty-two year old Australian, Deathifier from the Dark Knights society, as the savvy winner of this historic auction for virtual real estate. The auction began taking bids in late August and ran through the month of December accepting offers from around the world in a race to claim an extensively rendered virtual treasure island. Bidding ended at an astonishing amount of $26,500 US the largest amount ever spent in the massive multiplayer online gaming space.

    The treasure island is a true prize in the MMORPG virtual gaming community as it provides instant Real cash revenue from “mining and hunting” rights to the new owner. The winning bidder of the island will obtain all taxation rights on hunting and mining on the island as hundreds of members flock to the new world in search of new game and gold. The island also provides additional revenue potential through the selling of housing lots and market places, some of which have already been sold and claimed due to the high demand.

    “This is a historic moment in gaming history, and this sale only goes to prove that Massive Multiplayer Online Gaming has reached a new plateau where the gamers themselves have discovered the true economic potential of an online community,” raves Marco Behrmann, Mindark Director of Community relations. “This is an incredible milestone.”

    “This type of investment will definitely become a trend in online gaming as the standard monthly-fee based online games will struggle to make any sort of cash investment viable,” claims island winner, Deathifier. “It is only the unique, forward-looking games like Project Entropia that establish a real, tangible value to your in-game persona and their activities that allow it.”

    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 MMORPG’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. 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.

    About Project Entropia

    Project Entropia is a registered trademark of MindArk PE AB. MindArk PE AB develops, supports, and monitors the services and maintenance of the Project Entropia site. MindArk PE AB 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 180,000 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.projectentropia.com.


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  2. Dec 14, 2021 #2
    EntropiaPlanets

    EntropiaPlanets

    Treasure Island pre-launch promo images

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    • Informative Informative x 2
  3. Dec 15, 2021 #3
    Tass

    Tass Administrator

    *bump*

    This was 17 years ago. And somehow this is relevant today. The first time a premium estate in Entropia Universe got annexed by MindArk from the orginal owner who previously was made a figurehead of Entropia Universe by MindArk, then sold by MindArk to the general public in shares.

    P.S. This thread from 5 years before EntropiaPlanets started is also an example of our efforts to get the entire Entropian history on EntropiaPlanets :)
     
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  4. Dec 15, 2021 #4
    INTERNUT

    INTERNUT

    Nice pics from EU's past!
     
  5. Jan 6, 2022 #5
    Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    This "annexing"... what do we actually know? We know Deathifier owned it and MA recently sold it to the playerbase. Is anything else known for sure? For example is it possible the money of the sale went to Deathifier? or is it possible Deathifier passed it back to MA without the public being aware some time ago?

    I only ask as I know we are not meant to start rumours and I fear we are getting somewhat uncomfortably close to that faux pas by use of terms like annexed...

    Annex: has one definition as: add (territory) to one's own territory by appropriation.
    Appropriate: has one definition of: take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission.

    Just want to be sure we're either sure of our facts or that we are marking out rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty ;)
     
  6. Jan 7, 2022 #6
    San

    San

    An official avatar with "Annex" in its name was holding assets for some time, what and how long exactly I didn't keep track, but maybe someone did. This should make it obvious that using the same term is not spreading rumours, we just need to be careful what and whom we apply it to. We don't know about money flows, compensation and such. It might be possible to suss out how ownership transfers align with published court rulings. What could be gained for the trouble though, I really don't know. The whole affair is a showcase of what happens when you're "uncooperative" from the ruling power's point of view. You don't own what you can't control physically and defend with your claws and teeth, if you must. Applies not only to VR and games.
     
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  7. Jan 7, 2022 #7
    Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    Wow... dark sentiment ending there... make me think of HK somehow.

    Anyhow well if ownership passed to an official avatar with Annex in it's name then it's pretty plain as day this is what happened even as you say the circumstances of annex are not known. Well I guess the only thing to be gained is some peace of mind around what MA may or may not get up to around stuff you own in game. One could simply cut to the chase though and consider two options:

    1. MA have demonstrated that they will arbitrarily take your stuff and sell it if they so choose for some reason or other

    or

    2. Everyone was duly compensated and this was an amicable and agreed outcome that simply wasn't detailed publicly

    If the answer is 2. Nothing to worry about (or at least not much). If it's 1 people have 3 options of what they do with this knowledge:

    A. Ignore it and assume it won't happen to them; carry on regardless

    or

    B. Take this as a stark warning and adjust one's activities in game appropriately to accomodate this new demonstrated risk

    or

    C. Pull their PEDs and run

    TBH, at best I think even if 1 were demonstrated to be true (which it hasn't been), I imagine most people will go for reaction option A with a few people with bigger investments taking B on board. I can't imagine anyone will go for C. Remember this is a community who never even managed to organise a 1 day walk out over something that upset them (there was a sit down protest once though - then MA removed the ability to sit down). I can't see anyhow closing their account over this.

    Bleak I know but I suspect this is the reality of the matter

    Wistrel
     
  8. Jan 7, 2022 #8
    NotAdmin

    NotAdmin Administrator

    First MA screwed over the Shopping booth owners, and I did not speak out, because I did not own a shopping booth.
    Then they screwed over land owners, and I did not speak out, because I did not own any land.
    Then they screwed over Deathifier, and I did not speak out because I was not Deahtifier.
    Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
     
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  9. Jan 7, 2022 #9
    Norbert

    Norbert Cartoon Head

    Anyone know how all this ended up and the fallout?
    Also is this whole affair why Ark team are very very quiet for some time?

    Sorry if been covered, have been out the loop a good while
     
  10. Jan 7, 2022 #10
    NotAdmin

    NotAdmin Administrator

    Other than a small handful of official documents, nothing much is known. MA is tight-lipped as usual, short of a line or two in a financial statement. Deathifier at times is seen browsing this here forum, but hasn't given us an update either (which is probably a wise decision as long as the case is in court).

    I believe that like most PPs, Arkadia currently is running on a skeleton crew. The forums are quiet, very little official announcements. Last I heard is the office was closed, and is running from David's appartment (not sure I remember this correctly, though). My guess is they are also just awaiting the end of the lawsuit.

    Last official news was that the judge sided with Arkadia, but Deathifier appealed that decision. I don't recall hearing or reading more than that.
     
  11. Jan 26, 2022 #11
    Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    I'm a little confused as to why Arkadia has gone quiet. I seem to remember it was the PP that was most active and seemed to be the number 2 planet in the game. They were in Singapore but I think someone told me they moved to South Africa. I seem to remember also their main artist guy moved on who also made the videos.

    But yeh, dunno what the physical move was about, Singapore is a great place (although expensive for certain things) but even more confused about the PP going quiet. Are they still releasing content updates?
     
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  12. Jan 29, 2022 #12
    mastermesh

    mastermesh

    they made that game testing cryptocrap and are now running off to spend it all on a beach somewhere.
     
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