Chinese Prisoners Forced into MMO Gold Farming

In movies, (Chow Yun Fatt’s popular Prison on Fire comes to mind) the idea of prison inmate abuse through physical punishments and hard labor has been explored to death. In real life however, there could be worse torture than just physical labor. A recent UK feature on Chinese Prisoner Liu Dali’s (not his real name) prison story revealed how Chinese prisoners were forced into MMO gold farming at night, after a long laborious day of physical work.





"If I couldn't complete my work quota, they would punish me physically," explained Liu Dali, suggesting how the MMO gold farming was neither an enjoyable past time nor a voluntary recreation of the inmates. He further described the punishments, claiming that those who “fell behind” in terms of hitting the quota of gold would be “made to stand with their hands raised in the air”. Worse punishments may even come in the form of “getting beat with plastic pipes”

Two years ago, the Chinese government has already placed appropriate restrictions on MMO Gold farming, clearly stating that virtual currencies may only be used for trading virtual goods. Despite the imposed laws, Liu has said that the profitability of MMO gold farming was simply too good for prison bosses to ignore. According to what he heard in prison, bosses could earn 5,000 to 6,000 RMB a day.

MMO gold farming is not a new thing in China though. It is quite common knowledge by now that sweatshops exist solely for farming gold. In such shops, workers are hired for cheap to sit out 12hr sessions only farming gold. Although big names such as World of Warcraft and even the Chinese government have tried to ban gold farming, it remains on the large as a lucrative form of making money. There has already been a gold farming site that has been sold for USD $10 millionearlier this year.



Coupled with Liu Dali’s story, this may potentially send some shockwaves down both the MMO and real world.

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