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Speaking under the pseudonym of Liu Dali, a former Chinese prison guard revealed that, during the three year incarceration that followed his 2004 imprisonment, the guards at his prison made him and as many as 300 other prisoners play MMORPGs for interminable stretches. The purpose served? Farming in-game currency that the guards then sold off for up to $925 a day. “Prison bosses made more money forcing inmates to play games than they do forcing people to do manual labor,” said Liu. “We worked 12-hour shifts in the camp… We didn’t see any of the money.”  According to Liu, repercussions for missing one’s quota were swift and severe, “If I couldn’t complete my work quota, they would punish me physically. They would make me stand with my hands raised in the air and after I returned to my dormitory they would beat me with plastic pipes. We kept playing until we could barely see things.” In 2009, a Chinese law cracked down on the sale of virtual currencies, requiring all sales to be done by legitimate, licensed businesses. Liu, however, feels that the practice is ongoing, “Many prisons across the north-east of China also forced inmates to play games. It must still be happening.” |