Gold farming: a real economy in the virtual world

Workers play World of Warcraft to earn gold at Wow7gold in Changsha, China Photograph: Anthony Gilmore/Guardian

Gold farmers at Wow7gold work 10-hour shifts fighting monsters and earning gold for western customers Photograph: Anthony Gilmore/Guardian

Eva Yuan, 26, is a customer services operator for Wow7gold. She speaks three languages and deals with more than 100 customers a day, mainly from America Photograph: Anthony Gilmore/Guardian

The Wow7gold customer service team on a day trip outside Changsha. The majority of customer service operators are female graduates, whereas the gold farmers are generally low-skilled males Photograph: Anthony Gilmore/Guardian

Eva Yuan at Yulu mountain, Changsha, on the day trip, which was organised by Wow7gold to thank its customer services team Photograph: Anthony Gilmore/Guardian

A kitchen at a power-levelling workshop in Changde, outside Changsha. 'Playbourers' generally eat and sleep on site, and are provided with a basic meal of meat, vegetables and rice every day Photograph: Anthony Gilmore/Guardian

The offices at the Changde workshop – filmed by Anthony Gilmore for his forthcoming documentary, Play Money – are often freezing and dirty Photograph: Anthony Gilmore/Guardian

Automation software runs a lot of the computers at the Changde offices Photograph: Anthony Gilmore/Guardian

A shower room at the Changde compound. Eight workers sleep in one room, with four bunk beds Photograph: Anthony Gilmore/Guardian

And what's it all about? The gold farmers are working hard to help players gain levels, and wealth, in the online roleplaying game, World of Warcraft Photograph: PR