Virtual Crime

Abstract

Markets for virtual property in massively multiplayer online games have recently emerged. This essay explores the question of whether such markets for virtual world properties might someday provide a basis for real criminal prosecutions. The authors conclude that this is unlikely. This is not due to the intangibility of virtual assets, but instead due to the contractual arrangements which modify the legal rights of players, as well as the encoded and textual game rules which govern player-to-player interactions in virtual worlds.

Keywords: Property, rules, virtual worlds, games, cyberspace, cybercrime

JEL Classification: K49, K12