Very Important Trend: We are living in a social virtual economy.
We are headed for real virtual economies, in which virtual goods retain value after being purchased; alongside people who make unwise investments, there will also be some who maintain their habit healthily, or even turn a profit.
Social gaming on Facebook has rocketed the casual market into the stratosphere, not only in terms of how many people are playing, but also in spending levels. What’s really surprising about the above figures is not just that someone would pay as much for virtual goods as they might spend on a new car.
http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2010/06/10/super-whales-spend-money-virtual-goods/