Entropia Universe

Entropia Universe's Planet Calypso is well-known for its real cash economy that usually includes some virtual item being bought or sold for an ungodly amount of money. In line with that, a virtual egg that last sold for $70,000 is hatching after lying dormant for six years.

We put a paragraph break there to let you process that for a second. Yes, a $70k virtual Atrox Queen dinosaur egg is breaking open as part of a new event where players need to stop the newborn Feffox from causing further destruction throughout the planet. Once players stop the deadly beast, they'll need to band together one last time for a massive battle to save the world. The event began on Monday but runs until April 28th, so you still have time to join in.

Sound like fun? Head on over to the game's official site to learn more.

How would you like to own the moon? In the real world, it's not really possible. In Entropia Universe it's quite possible and has in fact already happened. A group of players purchased a moon for $150,000 as part of the game's 10-year anniversary celebration. But it's not just a super-expensive piece of property, it's a chance for the owners to make something unique and long-term in the game world.

MindArk, the company behind Entropia Universe, offered the moon as a chance for players to shape something freely while sharing profits earned from the new location. That means that the investors have essentially licensed out a part of the game for their own development and customization even as it remains a part of the overall gameworld. The moon is expected to be fully added to the game in Q2 or Q3 of this year. If you're curious about the specifics in the community, you can check out the full rundown on the official site.

The title launched on February 1st, 2003, and has generated loads of money through the creation, sale, and purchase of its online worlds. According to MindArk, Entropia Universe is a favorite of the Guinness Book of World Records when it comes to the most valuable virtual items ever sold.

MindArk recently released a mobile app for Entropia Universe and outlined a 2013 roadmap through the anniversary and beyond.

[Source: MindArk press release]

Did you know that Entropia Universe will be 10 years old next year? Possibly not, but if you did, you probably also know how much the team at MindArk has done to improve the game over the past year. That team is looking to make 2013 even better, and to that end they've put out a roadmap for 2013's development.

Aside from the obvious anniversary celebration, the developers are hard at work fixing up areas for veteran players, trying to improve the return on several activities and making the game easier to get started with. There are also plans for new server infrastructure and an entirely new taming system, both of which should make existing players happier with the game as a whole.

Beyond even that, the team has plans for shoring up the game's financial transactions in several ways. New functionality with PayPal and improved starter packs are in the works. Players can also expect to see a full rollout of the Calypso Land Deed system and accompanying political mechanics within the next year. So here's to a decade of development, and let's hope the team can manage another one.

[Source: MindArk press release]

Reports are coming in that Iran is moving to block access to several MMOs, including World of Warcraft and Guild Wars. This comes following a conference by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance earlier this month. At the conference, the Islamic Revolution Game Designers Community was formed and decided to ban games that promote superstition, mythology, violence, and revealing clothing.

Following the decision, the government started cracking down on various services and MMOs, such as Battle.net's library and ArenaNet's Guild Wars series. Other games targeted include RuneScape, Second Life, Dofus, Evony, and Entropia Universe.

It's unclear to what extent the government is attempting to enforce these bans, and Iranian players are looking into workaround solutions to access their MMOs. It's interesting to note that Blizzard does not authorize downloads of its products or services in Iran.

MindArk has given new meaning to the term phat lewt with its latest update for Entropia Universe. Players may now acquire one of a thousand Planet Calypso land deeds simply by hunting, mining, or crafting while in game.

Each land deed carries a real-world value of $100 (and deeds are often sold for much more on the open market), according to a MindArk press release. The deeds also provide revenue sharing through the game's citizenship program. Deeds began dropping yesterday, and MindArk says that they will continue to do so throughout 2012.

Planet Calypso is the oldest planetary playfield in Entropia Universe. The game boasts more than one million registered accounts and over $400 million in annual user-to-user transactions.

[Source: MindArk press release]

Entropia Universe has always skirted the line between game and advertising scheme, and the latest evidence of this is a new social media program developed by MindArk and Socialtype that aims to reward existing players for recruiting new ones.

MMO recruitment drives are nothing new, but the kicker here is that the potential recruits can experience a slice of Entropia via their Facebook accounts. MindArk is using a software app called Bamboo to connect the MMO and Facebook portions of Entropia. Bamboo "turns your players into a highly-motivated marketing army," according to the app's website. "Bamboo users become ambassadors. They earn points for promoting your game through their social network. Every action is incentivized."

MindArk says that the Entropia atmosphere has been ported to the Facebook app via its UI, graphics, and lore. New users can also add to said lore via their own unique plots.

[Source: MindArk press release]

Entropia Universe is in the news again, and yes, it's because of a huge real-money transaction initiated by one of the game's players. MindArk says that a single investor bought $2.5 million US worth of land lot deeds on Calypso, which is one of the game's oldest planetary zones. Entropia's citizenship system originally launched last December with almost 60,000 land deeds up for grabs. The mechanic allows for revenue sharing among citizens; the annual return on investments is hovering around 27%.

In a nutshell, the system allows players to amass weekly profits directly from the game after an initial investment of $100 for a single land deed. Investment opportunities are open to anyone with an Entropia avatar, and MinkArk also reports that the game features over one million registered accounts and over $400 million in annual user-to-user transactions.

[Source: MinkArk press release]

For $6 million you could buy a heck of a lot of tacos -- or one virtual planet. Wisely, SEE Virtual Worlds went the latter route, snapping up Planet Calypso from MindArk and saving itself massive heartburn. The sci-fi-themed Planet Calypso operates under the umbrella of Entropia Universe and boasts 950,000 registered accounts since coming online in 2003.

As part of the deal, SEE Virtual Worlds also acquired all of the assets of First Planet Company, a former subsidiary of MindArk, which has been transformed into SEE Digital Studios. Under this reorganization, SEE Digital Studios is now responsible for developing and operating Planet Calypso, Planet Michael and Universal Monsters. The company is expected to hire on additional team members for these projects.

Fresh from the champagne celebration, SEE Virtual Worlds President Corey Redmond sat down with us to discuss this deal and the future of these three titles. Hit the jump to boogie with Michael Jackson, scream in terror at the Wolfman, and navigate the economy of virtual worlds.

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Planet Calypso is an odd sort of virtual world, a free-to-play game that allows players to exchange in-game money for real cash. It's gearing up for the auction of the new Medusa's Head islands, which contain a variety of services and species for the enterprising landowner. And in anticipation of just that, a new update has offered the perfect vehicles for running through an unspoiled tropical paradise -- high-powered combat tanks, helicopters, and warboats bristling with deadly armaments.

Along with three new Nordic-named vessels -- the Megingjord tank, the Naglfar boat, and the Gungnir helicopter -- the update brings with it a variety of updates to the use of vehicles. Commissioning has been removed, and a weapon mounting system has been added to help facilitate the addition of aforementioned deadly armaments. Even if they're not planning on bidding on the brand-new islands, Planet Calypso players should be able to enjoy the environment in their vehicles of choice.

Planet Calypso is one of the more unusual games that we cover here at Massively, mostly thanks to its real cash economy. Massively's Beau Hindman spent some time in the game recently for Rise and Shiny, giving his experience as a new player.

Our newest peek at the game is a bit more advanced and a lot of fun. Planet Calypso is in the middle of the Harbinger event, an ongoing new challenge that introduces players to new areas, new enemies, and some formidable new foes. The Planet Calypso team was kind enough to invite me on a tour of the event, so follow along after the jump for a closer look!

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If you're a frequenter of Entropia Universe, chances are you've heard of Club NEVERDIE, the virtual night spot purchased by John "NeverDie" Jacobs in 2005 for the tidy sum of US $100,000. The club, located on a giant asteroid orbiting the planet Calypso, was history's most expensive virtual item for a number of years until it was surpassed by the purchase of the Crystal Palace Space Station in 2009 (a US $330,000 sale).

Now, an Entropia Universe fansite is reporting that the remaining portions of Club NEVERDIE have been sold to a gamer named John Foma Kalun in a transaction valued at US $335,000. Jacobs had previously sold zones of the asteroid, known as Biodomes in game terms, for US $300,000. Read all about it at EntropiaPlanets.com.

[Thanks to Peter for the tip.]

Planet Calypso is one of the more interesting concepts in the free-to-play arena, as it's a game in which you can theoretically make real money from playing the game. It looks like the concept is expanding a bit with the announcement of Planet Arkadia, an environment for virtual treasure hunters. Part of the same overarching concept and universe as Planet Calypso, the game will be a chance for players to enjoy the thrill of treasure hunting without the actual logistical issues of stealing things and then selling them.

The game is going to bear another similarity to its predecessor, however, in that the treasures being unearthed will potentially be worth real-world currency. That should provide players of the game with a little added incentive, along with concept art by Feng Zhu and the promise of an immersive virtual world. Tentatively set for release in early 2011, Planet Arkadia already boasts a site with preview images and more information on the game environment. So if you've always wanted a chance for your virtual treasure to translate into real money, your dream might be closer to fruition than you think.