About Me
Since 1991, the award-winning Civilization series of turn-based strategy games has challenged players to guide a civilization through history and build an empire to stand the test of time. Players assume the role of a famous historical leader, making all the crucial economic, political, and military decisions as they pursue one of multiple paths to victory. For most of these games, a key part of game play is having an asset, item, or currency and using that currency to buy virtual items and services within the game. For virtual worlds, items purchased are typically cosmetic in nature and used to individualize players’ avatars. Players generally earn or buy in-game currency, essentially converting fiat currency to in-game currency. Most of these games have in-game marketplaces where assets can be bought, sold, or traded. As a result, gaming companies are using gaming assets and proprietary marketplaces to replicate everyday activities online, including financial payments.7