Quite apart from the fact that David Storey was happy to spend $26,500 buying virtual real estate in Calypso, another attraction of this game is that it represents a departure from the more traditional MMORPG business model.

In her Master's thesis, Ida Damgaard (2002) points out that MindArk, the company which owns PE, has set out to produce a product which they hope will become more than just a game. There is no fee for downloading the software and taking part. Instead, in order to make progress in Calypso, the player exchanges US dollars for PE dollars (PEDs) at a ratio of 1:10 using a secure transaction system and uses this 'cash' to buy goods such as weaponry and clothing.

There is the possibility of making money by working, hunting or trading - and this can be converted back into US$ at the fixed rate. Stock markets and online casinos may also become an integral part of life on Calypso.

Future plans envision the use of PE as an alternative to current web browsers and it may become possible to examine goods from e-commerce businesses within the game, pay for them there and then have them delivered to a real-life address (Damgaard, 2002).

The possibility of making money, as well as meeting new people online, is emphasised in the "video" which has been produced by MindArk to encourage particpation ...