Happy Nice Mall

But in real life, I can throw weird parties. I wanted to get a better look at our supposedly fantastic future in the Metaverse, so we signed in. adopt me!The confectionery of a game with Candy Land-esque graphics was born from eggs, some ordinary, some legendary, in which users collect and tend pets. “You’ve just been offered a fluffy kitten,” Anton said a few minutes after signing in. “This how kid friendly.”

On the face of it, the game seemed to put enough emphasis on early childhood development and affordable healthcare (you get paid to take your pet to the hospital, Anton told me) to please any red rose progressive.

But on a deeper level, the game seemed to be buzzing with a “Succession” level spirit of intrigue and greed. As with Mr. Zuckerberg’s metaverse, most of the good stuff is for sale, in which case it can be earned in the game’s virtual currency Anton told me, by completing in-game tasks or with real money that can be withdrawn from parents. . (Last year, a 6-year-old boy who loves Roblox in Australia, 8,000 dollar bill from his parents’ bank account.) The main thing is not to win or lose, but to envy and achieve.

And just like in the real world, there are many ups and downs. Anton explained that the starter egg that gave birth to a puppy is free, but if he wants a cooler pet he has to pay. I could barely keep up with his moves, but he soon said he had dropped more money (about $3.50 in US dollars) to make him a Fly Ride Dog with wings he could fly like a Pegasus. The game’s Whoville-esque village steals cash while grabbing water for a pet or shower.

However, an honest day’s work only goes so far in Adopt Me! The more exotic the pet, the higher the cost. Artificial scarcity drives prices higher. For example, Anton was supposed to be a limited edition. frost rage, a wingless white dragon that was once traded for $800 Robux ($9.99 in real currency), but is now highly coveted and can only be obtained through trade for a great distance. Is it because she’s beautiful? “Because it’s rare,” he said.

This explains why players young and old are looking for any angle to create an amazing zoo that even the Joneses will want to keep up with. Anton and his friends enthusiastically exchange assets, consult online value charts like pint-sized Wall Street qubits.