The virtual space is an incredibly interconnected, elaborate, and complicated concept. It is important to understand the terms virtual, for it is used in different ways and has different meanings depending on the context of use, and space. Additionally, the two are often used together, and might refer to very diverse objects. To speak about virtuality and virtual space in order to better understand a research on perception of space might seem contradictory, since perception is a bodily experience of material objects and implies a strong physical dimension. It is also important to note that the terms “virtual” and “online” are not always one and the same. 

However, my focus here is to not necessarily understand the deeper underlying workings and philosophies of the virtual space. (1) For this project, I will associate the virtual world with the online community. The virtual space is commonly associated with a digitally recreated space, namely some type of cyberspace. In particular, I will be focusing on a specific niche within the virtual space—the world of Internet/online games. Specifically, this project serves to discuss the creation of a new labor class in China as a result of gold farming within these massively multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPGs) such as World of Warcraft, MapleStory, Runescape, and Final Fantasy XIV to name a few.

Furthermore, because of the complexity and elusiveness of the virtual space, statistical data and information about the topic is largely incomplete. Many studies are extremely limited and have a small scope due to its relatively recent emergence and development, virtual setting, and abstract nature. While much of the data is empirical and potentially inconclusive, I will focus mainly on the creation of this new labor class in China and provide a brief introduction to how such a class functions in the grand scheme of the socioeconomic dynamics in China. 

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