Ogre to Slay? Outsource It to Chinese (People Pay Other to Play Video Games for Them)

New York Times ^ | December 9, 2005 | DAVID BARBOZA

[nickcarraway]

One of China's newest factories operates here in the basement of an old warehouse. Posters of World of Warcraft and Magic Land hang above a corps of young people glued to their computer screens, pounding away at their keyboards in the latest hustle for money.

The people working at this clandestine locale are "gold farmers." Every day, in 12-hour shifts, they "play" computer games by killing onscreen monsters and winning battles, harvesting artificial gold coins and other virtual goods as rewards that, as it turns out, can be transformed into real cash.

That is because, from Seoul to San Francisco, affluent online gamers who lack the time and patience to work their way up to the higher levels of gamedom are willing to pay the young Chinese here to play the early rounds for them.

"For 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, my colleagues and I are killing monsters," said a 23-year-old gamer who works here in this makeshift factory and goes by the online code name Wandering. "I make about $250 a month, which is pretty good compared with the other jobs I've had. And I can play games all day."

He and his comrades have created yet another new business out of cheap Chinese labor. They are tapping into the fast-growing world of "massively multiplayer online games," which involve role playing and often revolve around fantasy or warfare in medieval kingdoms or distant galaxies.

With more than 100 million people worldwide logging on every month to play interactive computer games, game companies are already generating revenues of $3.6 billion a year from subscriptions, according to DFC Intelligence, which tracks the computer gaming market.

For the Chinese in game-playing factories like these, though, it is not all fun and games. These workers have strict quotas and are

[badpacifist]

While playing my 60 pally and 46 priest I always heard people speaking of "Chinese gold farmers". I thought they were kidding but now thanks to the NYTimes I find out the real truth!! The horror ...horror of it all.

[King Prout]

too... lazy... to play... video... games...

NOW... we have reached the nadir of sloth

[Darksheare]

Could make a killing charging peopel for that...

[Paul_Denton]

I play them. But not massivly online-only though lol.

[tuliptree76]

I don't play video games. Maybe a round of minesweeper or freecell here and there, but nothing more than that.

[Paul_Denton]

Good eevning tulip :)

[King Prout]

if I had HSBB I'd play 1stPerson Shooters online.
other than that, no thanks.

but... that's besides the boint...

this is like paying someone to eat the best portions of a gourmet meal for you!

[King Prout]

ok: imagine paying someone to do yoga FOR you

same utterly incomprehensible level of madness

[tuliptree76]

Hi Paul.

[King Prout]

bet on stupid, bank on sloth?

sounds like a winning formula.

but, man... what POSERS!
Running around claiming this or that many experience-points (or whatever) and braggin' on killing dragons and such... when they never DID.

My old-school AD&D hackles are rising, man.

[Paul_Denton]

A plesent suprised to see you here.

[tuliptree76]

That is silly.

Although, it would be nice to have someone do my cooking and cleaning for me. LOL!

[tuliptree76]

Normally, I wouldn't be on these types of threads. Blame King Prout.

[Darksheare]

I know.
But on the same hand, the old old school AD&D guys can make a small profit off this.
Tempting, and yet horrific at the same time.

[King Prout]

it would be ok, if you were a sadistic fellow... whadda they call 'em? Grievers? Griefers? anyway, ya works for the bozo, racking up his points without the player learning any skills, and ya inserts some code into his character allowing you to waltz up to him in a tavern one fine evening and drop him like a limp-wristed Brownie with a suckerpunch...

[King Prout]

glad to be blamed.

where ya bin at, PD?

[Paul_Denton]

Not been doing much.

[EsmeraldaA]

Where is the fun in THAT anyway? HUh? I ask!

Please be merciful and don't answer!!

[knews_hound]

When my kids told me about this I thought they were full of it.

I looked into it and was stunned to see they were right.

According to my two World of Warcraft addicts, anyone who would pay for this is a "poseur beyond belief".

Cheers,

knews hound

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