High level Pokemon Go accounts are already being flipped for profit

Looking for a way to make money without having to throw on the old suit and tie? Dedicate yourself to becoming a Pokemon Master in Pokemon GO, and if you level up an account high enough and you will be able to flip it for a decent sum of cash. That is apparently what a growing number of players have been doing as the popular mobile game continues to evolve alongside its player base.

Listings for Pokemon GO accounts have appeared on Craigslist and Facebook, though Developer Niantic has been quick to get them taken down citing Terms of Service violations. However, that has not stopped auction sites like PlayerAuctions.com which currently has an extensive selection of listings ranging in cost from $5 to $750 for the more high-end accounts.

The sales of game accounts aren't anything new to the world, as World of Warcraft and Clash of Clans have developed lucrative markets of their own over the years, but it took several years for these games to reach that peak. Pokemon GO may end up being a completely different beast entirely.

Eric Schweitzer, CEO of PlayerUp, an online platform that helps players facilitate the selling and buying of various game accounts, told Wired:

"I’ve never seen so much attention towards a game like this at such an early stage"

No one should be surprised by the explosion of popularity with Pokemon GO. Despite some widespread perceptions that the series has stagnated from a lack of innovation, Pokemon has remained one of the most popular brands around the world and its games are always among the most illegally downloaded ROMs on the planet, even to this day.

Pokemon GO has provided a fair share of stories since the game originally launched back on July 6th. Between the discovery of dead bodies and showing off just how clumsy people can be, it's safe to say that the game's (and the brand's) popularity isn't going away anytime soon.

Source: [Wired]