A Virtual Gold Farm

Gold Farming is a term generally used for MMORPG player who acquires valuable items in a virtual game. This is usually achieved by exploiting recurring elements used as part of the mechanics of the game. A broader use of the phrase is in reference to a player who performs routine regardless what specific game is being played. Through the repetitive carrying out of actions in the game such as tackling a significant creature, gains are maximized. Another method to accomplish this feat is by making use of an automatic clicker or a program called a bot.

The system entails a harvest of gold or any such equally remarkable items. These are then sold to interested farming organizations or even other players. Mainly, this activity is a solo or individualistic activity. Range of acquisition of gold or other items is limited. Once these are accumulated a change of hand between the parties especially when there is a demand for a rare or expensive article.

These “gold farmers” are being organized by a person who runs a “sweatshop”. These are small enterprise, mostly unregistered for business, which put together a number of computer units where these people keep count of the precious gaming items.

The “gold farming” industry is most commonly found in China. The rough approximation would be around 100,000 people finds employment through this. A typical shift for them is one that runs twelve hours even expanding up to eighteen hours at times. Salary is greatly affected by the location and the dimension of the so called “gold farming company”. According to some reports, some companies actually pay their “gold farming” employees a wage that is equivalent to $120 in US dollars while some could even pay a higher wage of $250 in US dollars per month. Prevalence of “gold farming” and its continuously increase in number has in fact resulted to “gold farm” brokerages.

Aside from China, South Korea also had a notable level of “gold farmers” to a point that the country is now taking into consideration the regulation of the virtual currency exchange or economy through a legislative move. In addition to that “gold farming” is also existent in other countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, and Mexico.