(Image Source: SlashGear)

BY HARUMENDHAH HELMY

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

Think you’re an avid gamer? Well, think again. One Chinese gamer just spent $16,000 on a virtual sword for a game he can’t even play yet. Gizmodo has the story.

“He got the virtual sword at an auction to celebrate the launch of a highly anticipated game called Age of Wulin. Set in ancient China, the players would be able to ramble through a beautifully detailed world, crouching the tiger and hiding the dragon. Other items sold include a sheath for Hook of Departure—sold for $1,600—and a Lordly Spear Sheath—sold for $2,500.”

Wow — sounds like a thriving industry. TIME’s Techland explains the business’ scope.

“Buying virtual gold and other items in MMORPGs [or massively multiplayer online role-playing games] is common. A study released earlier this year valued this virtual economy at $3 billion, with one in four MMORPG gamers spending around $369 each year on virtual swag.”

SlashGear says -- the game will be released in China in Spring 2012. As he waits for the launch, the unnamed Chinese gamer has a plaque to hold on to... pictured in this photo.

“This game will also be released in the USA soon after the Chinese Beta, but it’ll only be this one lucky fellow who’ll be slaying his opponents with this one sword.”

Finally, despite its uniqueness — a blogger for MMOCrunch seems to think the sword’s owner is in for some serious buyer’s remorse...

“What happens if the game is a flop? Age of Wulin is also a [player versus player]-centric game, what happens if it has full corpse-looting? These people are either going to lose their items or never use them for fear of getting ganked. I’d also hate to be this guy once the first expansion gets released and makes his $16,000 sword worthless.”