http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20070207/zenke_01.shtml
Bottom line is they made a whopping $272k from it. OK, maybe not a luser but big whoop.
This is NOTHING compared to what they make on name changes and server transfers, if Smed was being honest with Business 2.0 back in '02:
http://www.timeinc.net/b2/subscribers/articles/print/0,17925,514908,00.html
[quote]Hidden revenue streams are just starting to be understood. Sony runs about 42 versions to avoid overpopulation in any one world. But instead of simply load-balancing the number of players per computer, it allows fans to relocate their characters to different worlds on other servers -- for $50 a move. "Would you believe we've generated over $1 million in revenue simply from moving characters?" Smedley marvels. While the company discourages players from selling off their personae or equipment for real dollars, black-market auctions are commonplace, with some gear going for as much as $2,000. (See The Real Economics of Virtual Worlds.")[/quote]
What I don't see talked about too much is "what comes next?" Obviously for a mature game like EQ adding SE isn't going to affect servers too badly one way or the other, tho those 'pilot' SE servers in EQ2 launched with the service if I remember right, so players knew what they were getting in to and could choose appropriately. But for the future this isn't something that is settled by a long shot. Trading real dollars for virtual tokens is still a big grey area in so many ways,
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