Patent ID: 8579710

Claim:
A method of trading virtual goods on a computing device in communication with a storage medium, comprising: providing a video game environment on the computing device, enabling a first player to acquire or develop a virtual good, the virtual good having a starting value; storing the starting value on the storage medium; receiving, via an input device in communication with the computing device, at least one rating of the virtual good from a second player; and storing the rating on the storage medium; increasing or decreasing, using the computing device, the starting value as a function of the at least one rating of the virtual good, and storing a new value representing the increased or decreased starting value on the storage medium; providing an interface for making the virtual good available for purchase at the new value retrieved from the storage medium; and receiving at the computing device a request from a requesting player to purchase the virtual good, and checking the storage medium for data relating to whether the requesting player previously rated the virtual good prior to allowing a sale of the virtual good to the requesting player.