Gamer Spends $30,000 on Star Citizen
Over at PCGamer there’s an interview with a Star Citizen fan by the name of Chris (AKA Ozy311) who has to date spent $30,000 on the game. He owns all items that are currently available via the game store. Furthermore he has implied that he will continue to spend money on Star Citizen as more content become available. It would appear that Chris is an ardent gamer and has no concerns spending such sums of money on virtual products in a game that is still under development. Judging from the interview it seems that he has a well-paid job and is therefore simply exercising his right to spend his money how he sees fit.
What I find fascinating about this story is not that a gamer has spent such a sum of money but the way the gaming community has reacted to this revelation. The comments section over at PCGamer (as well as on other similar sites) is rife with statements and value judgements based on limited data and the application of subjective personal morals. There is also a lot of bitterness and jealousy, as well as the usual straw man and ad hominem arguments that are de rigueur in such discussions. It would appear that some gamers are very unhappy with someone spending their own money in a particular way, but they’re not particularly good at articulating what they specifically object to.
When someone decides to place their personal activities in the public domain, they are courting opinion, be it directly or indirectly and they will have their actions judged. However beyond the facts, there really is no more to this story than what first meets the eye. Chris is a fan spending money on his particular passion. His expenditure is relative to his income. From what I’ve read he’s is not in any way negatively affecting anyone else with his purchases. The only unusual aspect of this whole affair is the relatively new concept of buying virtual goods and services. If Chris had bought a yacht he would still have one, irrespective of whether the manufacture ceased trading.
Once again I find that a percentage of the gamers seem to have a curious puritanical streak. As ever a lot of people’s personal opinions seem to be based upon nothing more than how they initially feel, rather than a logical analysis and measured consideration of the data. However that is something that we cannot lay exclusively at the door of the gaming community as it seems rife in every other social aspect of life. Perhaps I just notice the volume of white noise associated with gaming because I have an interest in it; I’m sure there’s just as much among sports fans. In the meantime it will be interesting to see if Star Citizen continues to attract such “big spenders”. I wouldn’t be surprised if it does.