What is waiting for gamers in 2012? No one knows for
sure. But what we indeed observe is the transfer of the ownership and
use right of in-game items. It proceeds gradually but may cause huge
waves next year.

In the past, it was typical for MMO developers to grant
players the use right of in-game items but hold the ownership in their
own hands. However, they seem to loosen their fingers now. First in-game
auction house, then cash transactions via third party is tacitly
accepted. The ownership of virtual items is gradually transferred to the
players.

A Brief Analysis of the Present and Future of RMT in Online Games


Although micro-transaction has become a major mode in
MMO, cash transaction of virtual items is still illegal in many
countries. According to the law, game companies should not take part in
such deal, but also should adopt measures to stop players trading
in-game items via third party. Such rule and regulation may change too
in the future as the MMO industry has changed a lot since last
generation.

Diablo 3 may become the propellant. Its developer Blizzard has announced recently that the auction house in Diablo 3
will support real cash transactions, which means players will be able
to trade their in-game items with others for real money directly in
Diablo 3. This news attracted tones of attention and disputes
immediately after it was released. The fact that Blizzard will require a
handling charge for these cash transactions also becomes the spotlight
because Blizzard has built a base of 12 million subscribers by WoW.


Blizzard explained that they brought in such system for
the safety of players' property. In their opinion, item transaction is
evitable, so the best way to protect players from suffering property
loss which happens a lot during transactions via third party, is to
manage these deals by the company directly.



In Korea, similar trend
seems to come up to the surface. Publisher IMI, also Korea's biggest
trading platform for virtual items, has confirmed that in their upcoming
MMO Myengpum Online (translated), in-game items can be valued through a
specific evaluation system, and players will be able to buy or sell
them directly in the game with real money.


IMI also made an explanation. One of its officials said
"This system guarantees in-game items have a fair value. And by this
way, the time and effort spent by gamers will be recognized. MMO is not
just about fun. It should be related to value and investment too."


Although in-game cash transaction is a hot subject in
MMO industry now, it is still too early to estimate whether such mode
would succeed or not. Like some insider said, "If the publishers are
going to conduct cash transactions themselves, it will definitely cause
huge shocks in the market since these cash transactions are mostly done
via third party at present. But if the market is not ready to accept
this brand new mode, it would go to the opposite direction and those
third-party trading platforms would get their feet stronger."

personally i think it will be the future trend for mmo companies

jobs like pro gamers will not be impossible any longer.

in novels they even have guilds inside huge mmo sponsor by big conglomerate with shops inside the game selling merchandise/lands/estates that can be bought and sold for rl cash.

in theory when a mmo grows to be huge in size with the capabilities to house millions of players in a virtual environment then a real economy can be formed.essential a new world for humans to interact and socialize ^^

if gaming gets to that extreme I dont think i would ever play again.

RL cash needs to be kept separate from gaming, that is exactly what ruins gaming. The game becomes who has the most cash to spend rather than who wants to actually play.

in a way this reflect the real world i guess

real life have no such thing as fairness

who is to say there is fairness in mmo ...

in a way the gaming company just wish to earn the money for middleman fee instead of the players going to buy third party gold.

anyway facade.in those novels the reason why ppl will enter the game in huge numbers is due to time ratio and deep sleep time related to virtual reality.one can fall into a deep sleep state while playing and the time in the game is actually much longer compare to real time due to the way the device connect to your inner mind.in essence extending one lifespan heh

its just a theory anyway. ^^

We are all inside a game being played like that
And now we ll create a game inside a game that will allow us to play games in sleep
And then the ones we play inside that game will create a game inside that game that will allow them the same

It's a never-ending circle XD (power-outage anyone?)