lifestyle

Man makes Y1 mil for three months of gaming

15 Comments
By Rachel Tackett

For all you fellow gamers out there, both hardcore and casual, how many hours have you wasted away powering up the pixels on your computer screens and game consoles? How many paychecks have disappeared into the latest expansion packs? How many hours of sleep have been lost to an addiction to online multi-players? Society doesn’t always understand, but we know it’s worth the time and the money when we get the fierce gratification of overcoming an in-game challenge. If we could, I’m sure many of us would love to make a living off of the lives we lead in the virtual world.

For one Japanese man, referred to by his handle name, Moru-chan, that dream is a reality. Moru-chan spends approximately 12 hours a day doing nothing but gaming for a paycheck of one million yen. He’s earning this money by basically living out three months of his life in the online world of fantasy role-playing game, ArcheAge. RocketNews24 has the scoop here in an exclusive interview with this very lucky man at the one-room apartment provided to him by his company.

Moru-chan is a long-time game lover who was chosen by ArcheAge’s project management team to be the recipient of one million yen in exchange for three months of online game play, which he streams live to Niconico every night. Such a life sounds terrific, but also a bit taxing, considering the severe lack of privacy and limited opportunities to get out of the house. However, when asked whether it was tough being locked up with his games all day, his response was clear and confident, “Not at all!!”

In the past, Moru-chan has done competitive gaming at a world-class level, making him a well-qualified choice for this work-necessitated game-a-thon. However, aside from his innate ability to sit at his computer for hours on end without tiring, there is little about him that one would associate with being a stereotypical gamer. For example, the first thing our reporter noticed upon visiting Moru-chan’s apartment was how bright and clean the space was. The thought of hardcore gamers can often bring to mind images of dark gaming dens, cluttered with cables from various game consoles, and smelling of an unfortunate mix between concentrated sweat and half-eaten burritos. Admittedly, that description is rather harsh on the majority of game fans, but the fact remains that this man’s living and game space was practically spotless.

Another thing to surprise our reporter was that Maru-chan is a happily married man. Better yet, his wife is fully supportive of her husband’s gamer lifestyle and is cheering him on from the sidelines.

So what does a day in the life of a professional online gamer look like?

12 p.m. (noon) wake up, bathe, eat, do laundry 3 p.m. play games 4 p.m. update personal blog 6 p.m. eat 7 p.m. play games 9 p.m. begin streaming online gameplay 6 a.m. go to bed Rinse and repeat.

For a person who absolutely loves games, this really is the best way to live, especially seeing as how the work does not isolate him from the outside world. Thanks to his blog, the legions of commenters on Niconico, and the conversations that he holds with players in-game, Moru-chan is able to make and maintain relationships with a large number of friends online.

Last weekend, Moru-chan used his position as professional game player and idol of ArcheAge to organize his own in-game event. The big name gamer invited all of his Niconico followers to join him in a campaign against the game’s most powerful monster, the Kraken. On the day of the attack, an in-game fleet of more than 50 ships gathered together to join in the fray. It’s estimated that more than 700 players took part in the virtual onslaught. Unfortunately, the mission ended in failure, but players stuck around in an online forum following their defeat to identify their weak points and strategize for the future. Already, they are plotting revenge against the sea beast.

There’s no denying that Moru-chan has found the job most perfectly suited to his lifestyle. When asked about his regrets, the only thing he could come up with to improve upon this life of his was to make some Japanese hot-pot and host a party for his gamer friends.

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Man Sells Spoils of his Six Year Gaming Career for Thousands of Dollars -- Buy, play, quit – 10 videogames Japanese players gave up on -- Puzzle & Dragons coming to Nintendo 3DS in kid-friendly form

© RocketNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


15 Comments
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Good news for NEETs? Nah!!! I'm thinking he would just use his 1M money buying unrealistic virtual game items.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Assuming he works six days a week, at 12 hours a day... I wonder if his wife minds that he's only pulling in about 1,150 yen an hour?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

1300 yen an hour. More than what I make. Where can I sign up?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Is his name Maru-chan or Moru-chan? The article switches between the two.

Better yet, his wife is fully supportive of her husband’s gamer lifestyle and is cheering him on from the sidelines.

Just curious, but does she share the one-room apartment with him? If not, no wonder she's happy.

亭主元気で留守がいい

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Cheering him on for making a lousy 330,000 yen per month for sitting on his ass all day? Coincidentally enough, my rent each month is 330.000 yen, and I have to do a lot more than play games to earn the money to pay it. Keep wasting your time Moron-- I mean Moru-chan...

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

Japanese person playing Korean MMO? Wow.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Good for him, I guess.

Frankly, though, even if one were in the position to pull this sort of thing off, I'm not sure one would want to. Long-term career prospects aside, turning what you love into a job can go one of two ways - you can love your work, or you can find that your love has become a chore.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The next article will on the wonderful people who make a living playing pachinko all day.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

this does nothing for society and makes him a paid happy garden gnome. I've worked for gaming companies before and I got out of the life. I remain amazed at how we waste the potential of so many people with computers around the world instead and I strive to be more of a human being. I hope he finds a way out and it turns out ok for him but what kind of future is this?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

hmm would have loved this when I was a gaming addict, but now life is much better without so much gaming!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Good and bad is subjective. He got money, good for him.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Don't know about you but I'm super happy and have more than enough money to spend on whatever I want with 270,000-300,000 a month net paid in bank. Good on him!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

He does laundry every day? Does he change his clothes every hour or something?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

..wait a second.. you pay 330,000 yen a month for RENT?? hmmm... i don`t want to judge, just a question: who is the morron? somebody who can afford a 330,000 yen monthly investment into nothing should not call other people morron.

and to all the other moral apostles who think they should judge over other lifes, get yourself one. i am starting to get annoyed about everybody standing out with their thoughts by walking over everything that does not match their ideas. if he is happy.. why not? he doesn`t harm anybody, has a good time so what?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

people are easily prone to envy, may be they hate their jobs

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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