When the Tamagotchi first crossed the Pacific in 1996 and entered the pockets of schoolchildren across America, the fascination with virtual pets hit its big take-off. But with approximately 128,547,909 pets cared for by around 90,170,375 owners [statistics as of Jan. 20, 2005], the world of Neopets boasts a world whose complexity is a far cry from the whining, beeping, feed-me, play-with-me universe of the early keychain pets.
Most users would call Neopets a game, a massive multi-player online roleplay game constructed in a world that is so comprehensive it can hardly be called a game at all. Economically, the world of Neopia, where the Neopets game is set, is more thorough than perhaps any other game in existence, including its own currency, a stock market, and even a rate of inflation. In order to survive in Neopia and keep ones pet happy and healthy, one must feed it, play with it, read to it, and give it a good home. Feeding a pet requires food; playing with it, toys; reading, books; and a home requires purchasing a plot of land, hiring a construction crew, selecting materials, and having a house built to your exact specifications. This house should then be wired with electricity, carpeted, furnished, and insured. Just like in the real world, acquiring these necessities in the world of Neopia requires the most basic element of any economic system: money.
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