Can't say I saw this coming, but somehow I'm not that surprised... Wouldn't be surprised if in the end it got purchased just so the winner wouldn't share the secret. Although I know it won't happen, I hope against hope that nobody purchases it.
i thought there was a limit on how big a single IAP could be, or I was mistaken? [if there isn't, there should be, imaging accidently buying a $77k IAP ]
Very handy, in my opinion, that this (and the subsequent) experiment will just happen to net them a whole lot of money.
IAP on the App Store is limited to $999.99, so either this isn't going to be a iOS game, or it's more Peter Molyneux marketing BS. (probably both)
This is very reminiscent of Tad Williams Otherland series, although the "message" there drops you into a virtual world.