Nearly half a million people in developing countries earn virtual goods in online games to sell to players, a study shows. The BBC News has the story.

Prof Heeks said very accurate figures for the size of the gold farming sector were hard to come by but his work suggested that in 2008 it employs 400,000 people who earn an average of $145 (£77) per month creating a global market worth about $500m.

But, he said, the true size of the sector was hard to estimate - it could easily be twice as big.

Future of Girls, Gaming, and Gender
Aion: Gym, Tan, Laundry (1)
All Play and No Work
Activision Says No to Female Leads
Women Spend Twice as Much
The Two-Sided Blade of Anonymity
Wedding Cake Says It All (1)
UK Gov't Notes Gender Inequality
Happy 4th of July!
Wii Games: Summer 2010
40% of US Gamers are Women
32% of UK Identify as Gamers
Funny and Slightly Depressing Video
Game Time Used in Divorce Court
Happy Father's Day!!!
Unique Video Game Characters
2010 G.I.R.L. Scholarship Awarded
Happy Birthday Pac-man!
VFS/WIGI Scholarship Winner
Scholarship Deadline Extended
Evony Pledges To Clean Up Ads
Happy Mother's Day!
Gaming Violence and Female Soldiers
Gaming is Serious Business
Women & Men in Gears of War (1)