[Avodah] virtual ona'ah

[David Riceman]

My son plays an online game which includes an economic component:
people make virtual things and buy and sell them for virtual money
(no real money ever changes hand). These things do have market prices,
since the game has official (virtual) storesites at various locations,
but often it's easier to trade with other players. Is there an issur of
ona'ah to give someone the impression that a thing is more valuable than
the market price? The rules do prohibit certain antisocial behavior, but
this is clearly permitted by the game rules. Would we say that there
is implicit consent since everyone has agreed to play buy the rules,
or is there a general issur of deception even in a game that encourages
deception (would that make it assur to play "Diplomacy"?).

David Riceman