Recently, a California State University economist estimated that, measured in U.S. dollars, the per-capita GDP of one virtual world—the land of Norrath, part of the Everquest universe—was roughly $2,000, which put Norrath just ahead of Russia in per-capita GDP. Hard-core gamers like to say that, while their bodies are technically earth-bound, they think of themselves as citizens of places like Norrath. It can't be long before some cunning entrepreneur buys 100 computers and pays teenagers sweatshop wages to play Ultima all day, and then sells the fruits of their virtual labor for real dollars on eBay.