Home

Virtual sweatshops

1 April 2005

Gamersloot.com employs a room full of young Romanian men £70 a month to play games 10 hours a day. Video games like Everquest or World of Warcraft are virtual worlds with multi-faceted characters and their own currency. Making it big requires many hours of intensive play and repetitive tasks. In the weirdest form of outsourcing ever, people can now pay companies like Gamersloot.com to improve their character's standing through intensive play while they themselves go to sleep. Even eBay has become a real life trademarket for virtual currency and gold, and items such as magical flasks and Jedi Knights.

The Guardian has a great article about it.

Had enough of ‘alternative facts’? openDemocracy is different Join the conversation: get our weekly email

Comments

We encourage anyone to comment, please consult the oD commenting guidelines if you have any questions.
Audio available Bookmark Check Language Close Comments Download Facebook Link Email Newsletter Newsletter Play Print Share Twitter Youtube Search Instagram WhatsApp yourData