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Virtual Items

Report: In-Game Currency is Most Popular Virtual Item to Sell

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 28, 2009 - 11:16am.
Santa Clara, Calif. - Nearly one-third (31%) of those who purchased virtual goods over the past year also sold virtual goods, with in-game virtual currency being the most frequently sold item from player to player, according to a report from market research firm VGMarket and PlaySpan, an operator of virtual goods marketplaces.
tags: Games | Social Networking | Reports | Virtual Currency | Research | Virtual Worlds | Virtual Items | PlaySpan | VGMarket |

Report: U.S. Virtual Goods Market to Hit $1 Billion This Year

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2009 - 11:06am.
San Francisco - The U.S. market for virtual goods -- including items in online games, virtual worlds and social network sites -- is expected to reach $1 billion this year, according to a report published by Inside Virtual Goods and the Virtual Goods Summit.
tags: Games | Social Networking | Reports | Research | Virtual Worlds | MMOG | Virtual Items | Inside Virtual Goods |

"Second Life" Parent Linden Lab Sued by Virtual Sex Items Maker

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 18, 2009 - 11:07am.
San Francisco - Linden Lab, operators of the "Second Life" virtual world, have been sued in federal court by a maker of adult-themed virtual items for copyright and trademark infringement, Wired.com reported.
tags: Law | Lawsuits | Linden Lab | DMCA | Copyright | Second Life | Virtual Worlds | Virtual Items | Eros LLC | Trakemarks | SexGen |

Riot Games Raises $8 Million for Virtual Item-based Titles

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 9, 2009 - 8:29am.
Los Angeles - Riot Games, an independent developer and publisher of online games, announced on Wednesday that it has raised $8 million in new financing, from Benchmark Capital, FirstMark Capital and Chinese online services firm Tencent.
tags: Games | Deals | VC | China | Benchmark Capital | Virtual Items | Riot Games | FirstMark Capital | Tencent |

Britney Spears First Artist With Virtual Gifts Line on Facebook

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 13, 2009 - 3:57am.
Los Angeles - Britney Spears has launched an exclusive line of virtual gifts on Facebook, becoming the first celebrity to do so, according to a post on her website. The $2 gifts, designed by computer iconographer Susan Kare, include Britney-themed cakes and balloons for birthdays, "limited edition images of memorable Britney moments" and tour-related gifts. Spears claims close to 2 million fans on Facebook.

tags: Marketing | Social Networking | Music | Britney Spears | Virtual Items |

Report: Facebook Making $34.5M in Virtual Item Sales

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 2, 2008 - 1:11pm.
Los Angeles - Online social network is deriving about 10% of its revenue from the sales of virtual items that members can give as gifts to one another, according to an estimate calculated by Lightspeed Venture Partners' Jeremy Liew on the firm's blog.
tags: Social Networking | Reports | Facebook | Research | Virtual Items | Lightspeed Venture Partners |

Virtual Item Exchange Should Be Legalized

Authored by Michael Cai on February 13, 2007 - 8:33am.
Economics 101 says that when there's a demand, there should be supply. That is exactly what's happening with virtual item exchange. For those who don't follow the game market, virtual item exchange means using real-world currency to purchase virtual items. For instance, a player of World of Warcraft could buy a special sword from another player for $5 and enhance his gaming experience and a player of Second Life could acquire a virtual castle for her avatar for $1,000.
tags: Games | Law | Sony | Commerce | EverQuest | SOE | Second Life | WoW | Virtual Items |

Toyota Debuts New Cars Simultaneously in Chicago, Second Life

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 9, 2007 - 12:31pm.

Detroit - Toyota on Thursday launched two new versions of its Scion brand, simultaneously at the Chicago Auto Show and in the virtual world Second Life. The company held a virtual press conference within Second Life at the same time as the real-world event in Chicago. The virtual Scion xB and xD cars can be purchased in Second Life for 300 "Linden dollars," equivalent to $1 U.S. dollar. "That's our target demographic -- people who do things first. Trendsetters are instrumental in promoting brands," Adrian Si, Scion's interactive marketing manager, told Reuters.
tags: Games | Toyota | Second Life | Virtual Items | Chicago Auto Show |

Sony: Virtual Game Item Marketplace Does $1.87 Million in First Year

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 7, 2007 - 1:49pm.

San Diego - Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) announced on Wednesday that Station Exchange, the online auction site it launched in June 2005 to allow players of its "EverQuest II" multiplayer online game to pay real money for virtual characters and items, generated $1.87 million in player transactions during its first year.

tags: Games | eBay | EverQuest | Sony Online Entertainment | MMORPG | WoW | Virtual Items | IGE |

eBay Bans Sales of Virtual Items From Online Games

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 29, 2007 - 2:20pm.
San Francisco - Online auctions giant eBay has begun to remove all auctions for virtual items from online games ranging from "World of Warcraft" to "Neopets," Slashdot reported.
tags: Games | eBay | Second Life | MMORPG | WoW | Virtual Items | Slashdot | Station Exchange | IGE |