As old online games are regaining popularity, it has been found that cash transactions for in-game items are happening frequently.

On the 22nd, on a popular game item trading site, the A item from "MapleLand," a game that faithfully recreates the popular online game MapleStory, was being traded for 2.5 million won. This item is a weapon that can only be used by high-level players in the game and is highly rare, making it expensive even within the game. Another rare item was being traded at a price exceeding 10 million won. One user said, "It's the same item, but the cash trading price has jumped nearly 20 times compared to the past."

MapleLand login screen. Image source=MapleLand

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HungryApp MapleStoryM, Image=HungryApp

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Nexon's online game 'Dungeon & Fighter' Image source=Nexon

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Sudden Attack 2. Image source = Nexon

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Launched in October 2023, MapleLand has become so popular that more than 50,000 users log in daily. Most users are from the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) who were teenagers in the early to mid-2000s. A user named Jung Mo (32) said, "I started the game out of nostalgia for playing online games after school 20 years ago, but it's disappointing to see some items being traded for more than a month's salary for an office worker."

"Baram Classic," which recreates the pre-2003 version of Baram, first launched in 1996, was also released in November last year and quickly ranked among the top in transaction volumes on item trading sites. One user lamented, "You have to pay hundreds of thousands of won in cash to buy essential items for playing the game," and added, "Even if you want to relive your memories, you can't even start the game if you don't have money."

Online Game Item Transaction Amount Rankings. Courtesy of ItemMania

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With in-game items being traded for high prices in cash, so-called "factories"?groups that farm items for profit?are springing up everywhere. A new slang term, "Ssalmeok" (users who focus solely on harvesting in-game currency rather than leveling up or gaining experience), has also emerged to refer to those who make a living by exchanging game items for cash. One user, who started playing out of nostalgia, posted on an online community, "I make 1.2 million won a month by selling game money for cash. Every time I list something, it sells immediately."

This phenomenon is believed to stem from the MZ generation's difficulty in securing a stable future due to soaring housing prices and economic recession. Analysts say they are more focused on enjoying the present and generating immediate profits rather than saving for the future or making long-term plans. Heo Changdeok, a sociology professor at Yeungnam University, explained, "Even if it's just a simple game item, if it has some rarity, they see it as an asset with investment value," adding, "This reflects the MZ generation's tendency to use digital assets as a means of profit rather than just consuming nostalgia."