UK paper The Guardian has an interesting article on the gold farming business in China, which they estimate to be up to a £700m a year industry employing some 400,000 Asian workers to generate and sell currency for MMORPGs. The article describes working conditions that range from livable to pretty dire, and the reasons gold farming has become a major industry. They also examine the motivations of the players who purchase virtual currency from such sources. The article concludes by touching on the obvious question of whether an industry based on paying for goods to be used in a video game is equipped to cope with the current tough economic climate. Thanks Ant and Boing Boing.