While the US property market is still down the gurgler, its virtual version is doing quite well.

A buyer named "Buzz Erik Lightyear" just paid $330,000 for a space station that has multiple biodomes packed with exciting hunting opportunities, a thriving bar, and extensive shopping and reincarnation facilities.

The "space station" is a location in the game world of Project Entropia, an online game released in 2003 which encourages players to exchange real money for in-game currency and objects. Crystal Palace, as it's called, was sold to Lightyear after a competitive auction, for $330,000. Lightyear hopes to make his money back by taxing players who visit it, shop there, or use its extensive hunting facilities.

We understand that similar projects have worked quite well in the past and Lightyear's virtual girlfriend is supposed to be over the moon at the idea.

Quite how such purchases have managed to become recession proof is anyone's guess.