Just a week ago, a man sold a nightclub in online sci-fi game Entropia Universe for a mahooosive $335,000. Forbes tracked down the foolish buyer to find out what the heck he was thinking. This is his story:
Yan Panasjuk paid $335,000 for Jon Jacobs' Club Neverdie in the sci-fi game Entropia Universe. With seven bio-domes, one stadium, a nightclub and mall, the pixels cost around the same amount you could expect to pay for a nice many-bedroomed house IRL. Speaking to Forbes, the 35 year old Boston-inhabitant explained away his purchase in the game he's been playing for a decade:
"When motion pictures were first invented there were a lot of critics saying that it is a novelty act and it would never amount to anything nor will be able to make any real money once the novelty wears off—last time i checked Avatar has grossed 2.7 billion dollars world wide. Most recent example is MTV and Internet but then you know those stories well enough. Virtual Universe is the next logical step in world entertainment and although there are a lot of critics and people shaking heads it is here to stay and take its ranks among the greats."
Up until now, Panasjuk has been playing 10 to 20 hours of the game a week, but now he's made his large purchase he plans on decreasing the hours spent at his software-developing job, so he can spend between 40 to 60 hours a week on the game. [Forbes]