This is priceless. I just finished taking a course in Third World history that focused on how wealthy nations exploit the resources and cheap labor of poorer, developing nations. Interesting class, lot of food for thought, but right now it mainly makes me think that this article in the New York Times is hysterical and deeply troubling all at the same time.
We are outsourcing video-game-playing to China. There are sweatshops involved.
“For 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, my colleagues and I are killing monsters,” said a 23-year-old gamer who works here in this makeshift factory and goes by the online code name Wandering. “I make about $250 a month, which is pretty good compared with the other jobs I’ve had. And I can play games all day.”
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On eBay, for example, 100 grams of World of Warcraft gold is available for $9.99 or two über characters from EverQuest for $35.50. It costs $269 to be transported to Level 60 in Warcraft, and it typically takes 15 days to get the account back at the higher level.
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One huge site here in Fuzhou has over 100 computers in a series of large, dark rooms. About 70 players could be seen playing quietly one weekday afternoon, while some players slept by the keyboard.
“We recruit through newspaper ads,” said the 30-something owner, whose workers range from 18 to 25 years old. “They all know how to play online games, but they’re not willing to do hard labor.”
Another operation here has about 40 computers lined up in the basement of an old dilapidated building, all playing the same game. Upstairs were unkempt, closet-size dormitory rooms where several gamers slept on bunk beds; the floors were strewn with hot pots.
It is truly amazing the gaps in the world that we find ways to fill, isn’t it?