Inside The MMO Trading Machine
Gamasutra offers a great in-depth article investigating the murky byways of the MMO in-game item and currency trading business, looking closely at IGE, a firm that sells virtual gold in exchange for real dollars for games like World of Warcraft, Everquest, Everquest II and their brethren. I’ve always been interested in how this kind of business balances being enormously unpopular with most players while being undeniably useful for players with fewer scruples or more cash. IGE has also been discreetly buying major MMO websites lately (Thottbot and Allakhazam, for instance), a move that seems sneaky at the very least and Orwellian at worst.
MMO publishers have little trouble expressing their opinion about gold-farming and the exchange of real money (into hands that aren’t theirs, at least). Blizzard, for instance:
The World of Warcraft Terms of Use clearly states that all of the content in World of Warcraft is the property of Blizzard, and Blizzard does not allow “in game” items to be sold for real money. Accordingly, Blizzard Entertainment will take any and all actions necessary to stop this behavior. Not only do we believe that it is illegal, but it also has the potential to damage the game economy and overall experience for the many thousands of others who play World of Warcraft for fun.
That’s a reasonable attitude. Not surprisingly, IGE Chief Operating Officer James Clarke offers a different take:
We very much stand behind the concept of in-game property being owned by the players…The concept of designing an economic system is a little contrary…Economies flow their natural course. Economies that try to restrict import/export are not usually as vibrant as those as facilitate it.
It will be interesting to see which way (if any) the gavel falls on this issue. As virtual and actual economies become more intertwined, we’ll have to face new ethical considerations. Might as well get a head start – read the whole Gamasutra report here.
tiny dancer
Posted to Video Games on 25 August 2006
· Comments (1)
Other stuff like this: gold farming, ige, mmo, warcraft
I think that gold farming, cheapens a game and the experience. End of story.