Real life banking license for spacebux?
by Idoru Wellman, staff writer
Project Entropia has long been known as a hype machine rivaled only by Second Life, and it has also been known as a de facto online virtual casino. Now, according to Ars Technica, it is applying for a banking license - as in a legitimate banking license:
MindArk PE AB, the company behind sci-fi MMO Entropia Universe will apparently be able to let players conduct real-world banking from within its online game. Of course, Entropia Universe actually features a cash-based economy already, where players can exchange real money for game currency at an exchange rate of 10:1 (ten in-game dollars to one U.S. dollar) and then buy in-game items with the money; the game itself has proven to be incredibly successful, having generated over $420 million last year.
Now, though, MindArk's going to be just like a bank in the real world: it will be backed by Sweden's $60,000 deposit insurance, offer interest-bearing accounts for its clients, feature direct deposit options, let players pay bills online, and apparently will offer loans to customers.
The interest, we suppose, is that other virtual world makers (or users) might do the same if this works out.
h/t to Raph's blog
This isn't news, Anshe Chung shelled out 50grand for online banking rights on entropia universe like 3 years ago.
Posted by: Blak Hax | March 24, 2009 at 04:58 AM
You know, I find it amazing that Tizzers Foxchase, Alyx and his girlfriend, about half a dozen PN closet furries and Intblubber are responsible for about 70% of the posts on this stupid blog.
Blak Hax, here, for example, is Tizzers. Again.
Posted by: Witness X | March 24, 2009 at 10:44 AM