A recent incident at Fordham University involved a currency exchange where two men attempted to trade $3,300 for 4.7 billion RuneScape coins. The seller became suspicious and wanted to back out, leading to a tense situation with the alleged buyer. This exchange highlights the broader issue of gold farming, a practice where players earn in-game currency to sell for real money, often exploiting economic disparities. Gold farming is particularly prevalent in developing countries, where individuals may work full-time to generate in-game wealth for affluent players in developed nations. Despite being banned by most game operators, the gold farming market was valued at approximately $3 billion in 2009. Concerns have been raised about the exploitative nature of this practice, including reports of sweatshops where individuals, often children, are forced to play games for minimal pay to meet the demands of wealthy gamers.
