I am both fascinated and confused by the virtual goods market. I got heavily into Eve Online for a while, where considerable argument goes on about whether purchase of goods with real money (via fungible time credits) undermines or complements the skill element of what is basically a resource management game.<p>Many other purchases on social rather than highly competitive game platforms, like Second Life and its derivatives, seem to be pure status displays. I know there's a real-world precedent for such in things like Potlatch and other religious ceremonies involving material sacrifice, but I am not sure whether this behavior is adaptive in either economic or social terms. It's been the subject of considerable speculation among academic economists and sociologists, albeit without any firm conclusions that I'm aware of.<p>$100 billion...wow.