Rob Pardo, World of Warcraft
Position: 23 Last year: Not ranked
Why? Bringing commerce to the virtual universe
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As the lead designer of World of Warcraft (WoW), Pardo has helped revolutionise computer game-playing entertainment for millions of people across the world.
WoW is a massively multiplayer role playing game (MMRPG), where players meet over the internet and battle with orcs and goblins in a specially created fantasy world.
The game has ushered in a completely new type of commodity trading that can earn individuals thousands of dollars for offering high-level player characters and magic objects.
In September one character was reportedly sold for over €7,000. In March analyst Screen Digest said the virtual world market, of which WoW is one of the leaders, is now worth $1bn a year.
The judges praised Pardo's creation as being the proving ground for the next generation of businessmen and women, for whom virtual world commerce will be just as important as physical trading.
Take a walk down memory lane - and find out who made the agenda setters poll in years past
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Meanwhile, this year's vote also saw social networking and blogging make a real impression with Rob Pardo of World of Warcraft, Michael Arrington, founder of TechCrunch, and Cory Doctorow, editor of BoingBoing, all staking a claim to a top 50 spot.
The vote saw social networking and blogging make a real impression with Rob Pardo (23) of World of Warcraft, Michael Arrington (35), founder of TechCrunch and Cory Doctorow (41), editor of BoingBoing all arriving in the top 50.
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