LEGAL NATURE OF VIRTUAL OBJECTS PURCHASED FOR REAL MONEY IN MULTIPLAYER ONLINE GAMES
The present article analyses the legal nature of various virtual objects in multiplayer online games, which have actual or potential value due to the possibility to be purchased for real money. In practice there are many disputes not only between rightholders (service-providers) and users, but also between users themselves regarding such objects, sometimes accompanied by claims for compensation for blocked accounts or lost virtual objects. The article analyses existing legislation, doctrine, Russian and foreign case law on this matter. The author comes to a conclusion that virtual objects can be treated as «other assets» in the context of Art. 128 of the Civil Code of Russia and thus can be protected by tort and unjust enrichment provisions.