ATVI Activision Blizzard Inc

By Sarah E. Needleman 

Exploding interest in "Pokémon Go" is tempting experienced players to cash in by selling their high-powered game accounts.

As with many videogames, "Pokémon Go" players start with limited power, building up over time as they progress. Some players prefer a shortcut from newbie to advanced status, and others are eager to sell them the access.

Dozens of advertisements pitching the chance to start "Pokémon Go" at an advanced level can be found on bulletin-board services like Craigslist, as well as eBay Inc. and other online marketplaces.

Hieu Huynh of Silver Spring, Md., said he paid $100 earlier this week for a level 12 account.

The 21-year-old college sophomore said he wanted to catch up to friends who had more free time to travel to "PokéStops," the real-world locations where players acquire free in-game items.

"I can't catch the good Pokémon," he said. "I don't have time to go that far."

"Pokémon Go" became a global sensation after it launched July 6 in the U.S. It is slowly rolling out in Europe, while fans in Asia -- particularly the franchise's home base of Japan -- wait impatiently for a chance to play the augmented-reality mobile game.

Jackson Wares, who spent roughly 15 hours collecting more than 50 Pokémon and 300 in-game items, on Friday sold the Google account that he used to log into the game for $50. Google didn't respond to a request for comment.

He joined a two-decade-old market where gamers peddle souped-up characters and hoards of treasure to players looking for an edge. There is scant reliable data, but Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter estimates global annual sales of more than $1 billion.

Shane Jeffery of Portland, Ore., said he makes about $65,000 in profit annually buying and reselling accounts for Activision Blizzard Inc.'s multiplayer role-playing game "World of Warcraft."

The 30-year-old web programmer said he started the side business while in college.

"I graduated with no debt," he said.

Selling accounts isn't illegal in the U.S., but in most cases violates the terms of service of game developers and established marketplaces such as eBay. Game accounts usually are owned by the companies, not the players. The typical punishment is a ban.

An eBay spokesman said listing accounts for sale is prohibited. Craigslist didn't respond to a request for comment.

Companies generally don't want people buying beefed up accounts from other players because grinding through games often leads to spending on in-game items, said Ryan Morrison, an attorney in New York, and an avid gamer.

People who buy their way to success can risk turning off other gamers.

"It's just dishonorable," said Paul Wareheim, a 31-year-old electrical engineer from St. Louis. "They didn't earn that top tier."

A spokesperson for Activision's Blizzard unit said sharing account details often results in illicit activities, and that the company makes an effort to stop such transactions.

Still, there are is no shortage of people selling their accounts. Tracking down violators can be a time-consuming hassle, said Josh King, an attorney in Seattle focusing on internet and media law.

The potentially large, diverse player base for "Pokémon Go," though, might make devoting more resources to a crackdown worth it, he said.

Alphabet Inc. spinout Niantic Inc. developed the game in partnership with Pokémon Co. and Nintendo Co. All three declined to comment.

Game developers including Valve Software Inc. and Activision Blizzard have experimented with setting up in-game marketplaces to buy and sell game loot, to mixed success.

Companies could eventually try the same with accounts, charging players a fee to swap game progress, said Edward Castronova, a professor of media at Indiana University focused on game design.

More than 1.7 million accounts for smartphone, personal computer and console games have been listed for sale over the past two years on PlayerUp.com, according to Eric Schweizer, co-founder and chief operating officer of Dynamic Alliance Inc. in Seattle, which runs the site.

There were more than 100 "Pokémon Go" accounts for sale Friday; a level 21 with five powerful Pokémon was going for $600. For the years-old hit mobile game "Clash of Clans," more than 84,000 accounts were for sale.

Write to Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 17, 2016 12:31 ET (16:31 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.