Gold Farming: Real-World Production in Developing Countries for the
Virtual Economies of Online Games
Prof. Richard Heeks, University of Manchester
A seminar from the Centre for Development Informatics
(http://www.manchester.ac.uk/cdi). The seminar is free and all are
welcome to attend. Do pass on details to relevant colleagues/students.
Thursday 4 June, 1.00pm-2.30pm, Room 6.210, University Place,
University of Manchester
(For map and travel details: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/visitors/travel/)
Employing up to 1,000,000 people in East Asia and with an annual trade
worth up to US$5bn, gold farming is big business yet virtually unknown
outside computer gaming circles. This presentation provides the first
academic analysis of this major new industry through which Asian
"playbourers" produce virtual currency and high-level avatars for
online gamers. It provides best estimates of the industry's size,
describes the global value chain and trade processes, and analyses its
developmental implications. It will outline a future research agenda
given gold farming reflects growing trends in developing countries
towards cybersourcing and towards "liminal" ICT work (which lies on or
just below the threshold of what is socially-acceptable and
formally-legal).
Online report:
http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/idpm/research/publications/wp/di/di_wp32.htm
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