Amidst Venezuela’s severe economic crisis, many citizens have turned to playing the online game RuneScape as a means of survival. By “gold farming” – accumulating in-game currency to sell for real money – players can earn significantly more than the country’s minimum wage. This practice has become so widespread that it’s considered a mainstream way to make money in Venezuela. Many players use their earnings to support their families or even fund their escape from the country. While gold farming violates the game’s rules, for Venezuelans facing extreme poverty and hyperinflation, it has become a crucial lifeline, allowing them to earn U.S. dollars or cryptocurrencies that retain value unlike the Venezuelan bolivar.