Real-world buying for the 'World of Warcraft' crowd
(Credit:
World of Warcraft)
The notion of "frequent gamer rewards" has been tossed around by trend specialists and pundits (like MAKE Magazine's Philip Torrone) for some time now as online gaming becomes more and more profitable and increasingly entrenched in mainstream culture. Now, it's a reality with the World of Warcraft Visa credit card.
You can apply for it now. With your first purchase on the card, according to the World of Warcraft site, you'll earn a free month of game time.
But you won't be able to buy yourself new weapons by using this card. The WoW Visa does not earn you virtual currency--rather, you accrue game time toward your subscription. It's unclear what the thinking was behind this decision, but it's true that there has been some controversy about bridging the gap between virtual and real-world currency, most notably the eBay ban on virtual goods earlier this year.
You can't brand the World of Warcraft credit card with your avatar (yet), but you can choose from 13 total designs. Whether or not you want to use this card when you pick up the tab on a first date, however, is up to you.
(Link via Boing Boing)
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline. 
