Virtual Items for Real World Cash - Is This the Future of MMO Gaming?

The world that we live in has changed. Once we were proud of the fact that we worked to earn the items we have in our lives. I remember when I bought my first car back in the late 1970's. I was so proud that I had actually earned the money to pay for it myself. Now the world is one of instant gratification. People what it and they want it right now.

The gaming industry and the MMO genre in particular are beginning to jump on the instant gratification train as well. We see it every day when a game is changed because players want it to be easier. The players don't actually want to take the time to earn the shiny new sword or gun; it should be given to them.

Taking it even farther some gaming companies have decided that if players want instant gratification then give it to them. If they want the "big blaster" or top of the line items make them pay for it. Not in honest to goodness work, but in real world cash.

There are a number of online gaming companies that have decided to take a bite out of the multi million dollar virtual items and currency market. Some of them have decided that adding a real world money price tag to every item in the game is a good thing. Well even if it isn't a good thing it's the smart monetary thing.

Personally I don't agree with selling in game items for real currency but I must admit that it makes sense. For years we have all had to live with in game barkers hawking their wares. "We have the best prices on gold" and "Our power leveling service can't be beat" are just 2 examples of what we hear. Perhaps by creating a system where players can buy anything in the game, even higher level characters will take the spammers out of the game.

If the gaming companies want to institute a system allowing players to purchase anything in the game I could live with it as long as you can earn the same things for free. I refuse to touch a system that involves me paying a monthly membership and requiring me to purchase the things I want or need for real world cash. It has to be one or the other