I see taxation as an eventuality; there is simply too much money trading hands for governments to ignore.
However, regarding the protection of the rights of the users of these services it would be much trickier; as the games would either have to be governed by the laws of the country they operate out of and players somehow held to their country's aproximate equivalent, or some other (external) accord would have to be created. And good luck with that.
Some of us would surely sue the hell out of each other if given enough legal room to do so, so I wouldn't be surprised if it were put off indefinitely and just handled on a case by case basis.
Players self regulating each other, in legal matters that arise in the game?
I would say it's more a question of the publisher of a game regulating the players, when internal regulation is mentioned.
I think the topic of external regulation is what's really interesting!
Can we, as players, self-regulate? Given the maturity levels of some people I have met in this game alone, I seriously doubt it.
However, I am willing to give it a try.
Go and try it, then. There's already a MMORPG (http://www.atitd.com/) set up specifically to let players govern themselves - including passing and enforcing their own laws.
it semms strange that despite this aspect of the game world is in violation of most, if not all EULA's that government sees it as a substantial market, and as such would like their cut....
I wonder if this, will finally start to hold some of thes game company's accountable for the extensive botting that does occur
My first thought on this topic is that to the degree that internal players take issues to external authorities, more and more attention will be focused on the game process.
It would seem inevitable at some later date that outside forces (gov't, legal system, etc.) would require publisher changes designed to keep game issues from hitting the 'real world' and being burdensome.
Should the local court be hearing a case concerning some guy's opinion he was scammed out of a majestic helm in a game by some imaginary toon.....or should that court's time be occupied with other issues?
Perhaps the bot market will self-address this in a strange way. I have no idea what adena costs but at some point supply and demand make even large amounts (let's pick 100 million) worth only a couple hundred dollars. In that reality, the 'value' in real world of the 100 million adena item scammed doesn't make it valuable enough to TAKE to a real court.
Interesting question. I think self-regulation is out of the question. I'd guess external pressures for regulation would be more likely to cause publishers to make changes (a GM court in-game for instance where complaints are 'redressed' and changes in EULA that mean you agree to in-game 'court' arbitration in matters of dispute).
Taxes are not an issue for players. Publishers are a whole 'nother matter! I can totally see gov'ts trying to get a piece of the adena selling pie (because gov't has no inherent limit on their appetites for tax revenue).
To hell with real life matters such as murders, car theft, and drugs! This fool stole my sword of pwnage! What do you mean its not important?! It was +5!!!!!!
if your account is "hacked" you can take legal action notify the police/court system
they can contact NC and NC will tell them what ips other than yours have been on your account
you can then seek reimbursment from that person through the court system
even if the person was at a cyber cafe most countries government require cybercafe to record thier customers personal info and what pcs they use
so currently the external government does get involved w/ internal conflict but on a case 2 case basis
lol although im sure your hacking talents are mighty.... o.O
the government of any contry has much mightyerer....
and on top of that if the cybercafe owner is not taking personal info and recording the machines used by that customer... they are legally liable
not that any court is goin to help you track down the guy that stole your egold
I don't think it's just reluctance to deal with the complicated issue of regulating a virtual world in accordance with international law that has kept this on the back burner for so long.
I believe this is a case of the authorities and lawmakers simply being... out of touch. Dare I say ignorant?
You bet your I dare. You can only shake something like this (http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20061123p2a00m0na023000c.html) or this (http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2150677/identity-theft-online-games) in lawmaker's faces so many times before they realize it's not just Super Mario Brothers they're dealing with anymore. Even most of the players can't get around the fact that "it's just a game."
The fact that there was a huge stink over nudity in Grand theft auto, (God forbid that the kids have nudity to go with their carjacking and murdering.), and not so much as a peep on some of these other MMO issues clearly shows they just didn't smell the money changing hands yet. They'll get involved all at once, believe me, and they'll crash into it will all the finesse of a bull in a china shop.
"The key takeaway for the people" at State of Play," Miller said, "is that congressional and IRS interest in this issue is simply a matter of time."
My biggest concern is that while virtual items have a real world value, a player should not be taxed on its worth until it is converted to real world currency.