Entropia Universe
| Entropia Universe | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | MindArk |
| Publisher(s) | MindArk |
| Designer(s) | Multiple |
| Engine | CryEngine 2 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) | January 30, 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Massively multiplayer online role-playing game, first-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Online multiplayer |
Entropia Universe is a massively multiplayer online virtual universe designed by the Swedish software company MindArk, based in Gothenburg.
Entropia uses a micropayment business model, in which players may buy in-game currency (PED - Project Entropia Dollars) with real money that can be redeemed back into U.S. dollars at a fixed exchange rate of 10:1. This means that virtual items acquired within Entropia Universe have a real cash value, and a participant may, at any time, initiate a withdrawal of their accumulated PED back into U.S. dollars according to the fixed exchange rate, minus transaction fees; the minimum amount for a withdrawal is 1,000 PED. The Entropia Universe is a direct continuation of Project Entropia.
Entropia Universe entered the Guinness World Records Book in both 2004 and 2008 for the most expensive virtual world objects ever sold. In 2009, a virtual space station, a popular destination, sold for $330,000. This was then eclipsed in November 2010 when Jon Jacobs sold a club named "Club Neverdie" for $635,000; this property was sold in chunks, with the largest sold for $335,000.
Also of note: in 2014 Planet Arkadia started selling 200,000 Arkadia Underground Deeds (AUD) valued at $5.00 USD each (50PED) making the Arkadia Underground valued at $1 million.
The game can be played for free, although spending money on the in-game currency allows significant additional options like purchasing items, skills, deeds/shares, services from other players. Nearly all in-game activities (such as firing weapons, crafting items, mining, etc.) require expendable resources which must be purchased from vending machines (or other players). There is no account fee or connection charge. The in-game activities that do not require PED are sweating creatures (called mobs), walking around looking for (and gathering up) fruit/stones/dune on the ground, and socializing. Although Trading or reselling requires some PED to start up, a lot of time is spent advertising and being social.
Before beginning the game, a player has to choose a name for his or her avatar, which must be a first name, a last name, and a nickname; all 3 names will be visible to all the players in the game. The name can not have any profanities in it and can never be changed, unless MindArk thinks the name is inappropriate. Next, the new player will need to create and customize their avatar.
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