Amazon goes Playful Web

Virtual Worlds News reports that Amazon is to launch Questville - some kind of slightly mysterious play environment, and probably some time in '08 now - on top of its answers option, Askville:

Amazon.com will soon launch a virtual world and [be] entering the virtual currency marketplace with a new service called Questville, which ties in with its new human-powered answers site, Askville. The company has adopted roll [sic] playing game terminalogy [sic] including leveling, experience points, and virtual currency in the form of Quest Coins.

I'm not that familiar with Askville, but it seems to already have some kind of levelling and coin-based system in place:

... and, according to VWN,

Quest Coins can eventually be used on an upcoming website called Questville.com which will launch in 2007. On Questville you will be able to use your Quest Coins to participate in "exciting new adventures and other cool things!", the FAQ adds.

This is pretty amazing:

We humans are such reward-oriented critters, aren't we!