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As computers get more powerful and broadband becomes standard, virtual spaces
like EverQuest are expected
to turn into boom worlds for the companies that own them.
EverQuest has 433,000 players who pay $12.95 a month. Creating relationships
and societies out of the EverQuest virtual playground, subscribers generate
$5m a month for Sony.
The typical player spends 20 hours a week living in EverQuest. According to
Edward Castronova,
an economics professor at California State University at Fullerton, one-third
of adult players spend more time in the game world than in their paying jobs.
Not surprisingly, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Vivendi-Universal and Disney
are pouring millions into developing online worlds.
In December, LucusArts and Sony release Star Wars Galaxies. Next year, Sony
releases PlanetSide: a first-person action game set in an online world.
Consultancy Themis
Group says that by 2003, revenue from online games will double to $635m.
That's more than the revenue expected from the latest Star Wars film. [Business
2.0].
