Virtual items = real money.
- MMOG Market Madness at GameWatchers
"The promise of money, however, was not limited to those companies producing these online games. It became apparent to a number of people
that there was another opportunity to rake in cash. Items, in-game
money and other properties were so widely sought after that the trade
for these items was beginning to exist outside of the game. The advent
of eBay had impeccable timing, and people began to auction their
virtual properties in games for real life money."