Imagine for a moment that you’re playing GTA 6 (is it still coming out?) and you’re online with your virtual gang, successfully pillaging and plundering all of the Grand Theft Auto metaverse. You pull out your newly minted non-fungible draco and point it at a less equipped online participant. They don’t have any weapons, so the digital currency that they uploaded to make in-game purchases gets reappropriated from them by you and your virtual cohort. 

The greatest RPG of the millennial generation could one day possibly allow a “real-life” or “crypto edition” game mode in which the game developers implement a legendary, epic, and daunting zero-sum strategy that leaves gamers in a state of digital euphoria. A new digitized culture – a virtual metaverse – will be unlike anything we have seen before. It is but another facet of the technological singularity.  

Because of the development of Zero-Sum strategy games like chess or poker, we know that it is possible for a game like GTA to implement cryptocurrency as a way for players to monetize themselves while playing within the game’s economy. Players could potentially put up their own money and use it to purchase in-game items, and Rockstar (the game’s developer) could charge a subscription fee for in-game purchases. 

However, it’s important to note that a zero-sum game would mean that for one player to gain, another player would have to lose. It is important to consider the legal and regulatory issues before implementing such a system.

A practical list of legal and regulatory issues that may apply when implementing cryptocurrency in a game like GTA would include:

1. Compliance with laws and regulations related to money transmission and anti-money laundering (AML). These laws and regulations may vary by country and jurisdiction, so it would be important for the game developer to consult with legal experts to ensure compliance.

2. Fairness of the game’s economy: Ensuring that the game’s algorithm is not rigged to favor certain players, and that players are able to easily exchange in-game currency for real money.

3. Tax implications: Virtual currencies and taxes are still a grey area, so it is important to ensure that all tax liabilities are met and that the game developer is compliant with all relevant tax laws.

4. Consumer protection laws: Ensuring that players are not misled or taken advantage of, and that all advertising and promotional materials are truthful and not misleading.

5. Data protection and privacy laws: Ensuring that players’ personal and financial information is kept secure and that the game developer complies with all relevant data protection and privacy laws.

6. Intellectual property laws: Ensuring that the game developer has the rights to use any proprietary technology or intellectual property used in the game.

7. Gaming regulations: Ensuring that the game complies with all relevant regulations related to online gaming, including age restrictions and problem gambling prevention measures.

8. Cybersecurity: Implementing security measures to protect against hacking and other cyber threats.

Keep in mind that other legal and regulatory issues may also apply depending on the specific details of the game and the jurisdiction in which it operates.

If GTA or some other well established video game franchise decides to implement cryptocurrency into their game, I’m not exactly sure if it makes the world a better place because of the social and emotional effects that a zero-sum game would cause. However, it will be a digital phenomenon of epic proportions.