Players define their online persona through the customization of their vehicles, and the acquisition of property, clothing and all the accoutrements of a luxurious car-based lifestyle.

If Google's acquisition of Motorola was indeed priced solely on a cost-per-patent basis, as looks likely, it would set a benchmark for valuing an intellectual property portfolio.

A recent example is British property group Segro PLC's acquisition of rival Brixton Ltd. in May.