6 Video Games Guilty Of Ripping Off Their Player Bases

Digital slum lords are charging real rent for pretend apartments.

Second Life
Linden Lab

With real life becoming increasingly worrisome, more and more gamers are choosing to live out an alternate fantasy existence online. Many have even already taken to residing in grand castles or working as space-faring super soldiers, Ready Player One-style.

But this great exodus to the internet has created a new breed of profession: the digital slum lord. These unscrupulous types charge extortionate rates to the poor players who're just trying to add the finishing touches to their virtual space palaces.

It's not just mobile game developers betting on their players' willingness to make occasional throwaway purchases either - these are people in the big leagues taking as much as they can. Unless you're an oil baron or a high-flying business tycoon, the most expensive offerings will be several hundred times beyond your budget. For regular folk, even comparatively inexpensive purchases can leave a dent.

The gross profiteering of this sub-genre has caused more than a few players to remortgage their homes. The rest just glumly come to realise that even their online fantasy life will involve sleeping in a cramped apartment.

If you're still considering the move, be wary of these games that cash in big on escapist fantasies.

6. Second Life Trades Virtual Red Light Districts For $50,000

Second Life
Linden Lab

Second Life is a kind of 3D rendering of the internet. It's full of weird and wonderful – but mostly weird – creations; think DeviantArt meets Ann Summers, meets the hell scenes from Event Horizon.

Over its 14 year lifespan, players have designed some very expansive projects, and then sold the projects for thousands on Ebay. In 2007, an in-game recreation of parts of Amsterdam (you can guess which parts) sold for $50,000. The area was popular for its numerous virtual sex shops – so popular that somebody held back on their weekly tissue box expenses to fund the purchase.

But weird sexy virtual Amsterdam isn't the only major sale to come from Second Life. In 2006, pretend real estate developer 'Anshe Chung' made a million dollars by designing and trading in-game houses.

And if you like being ripped off by big business in real-life, many of them will do so in Second Life too; American Apparel, Adidas and various banks all have virtual outlets ready to sell you designer attire or foreclose your make-believe apartment.

Even if you avoid the designer brands, land, clothing and furniture can still be expensive. If you want an island paradise, expect to be paying hundreds of dollars a month in rent.

 
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Thalmor sympathiser. Player of games.