• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Diablo 3: Auction house to accept real cash

C

CottonRabbit

Golden Member
Recently there was a very revealing closed doors Diablo 3 press conference. The NDA for this info expires in a couple hours, but some info has already been leaking.

The headlining rumor is that the auction house will allow players to buy items (and possibly characters?) from other players with real world money, presumably for a transaction fee on Blizzard's end. Nothing has been confirmed right now, but 2 sources seem to be backing this shitstorm inducing revelation.

The Diablo IncGamers fansite has more info, use Google cache to view it reliably. Pic from Chinese leak:
ah1.jpg


I'm pretty sure the community would be very against this, including myself. On the other hand, third-party gold-selling services will definitely exist for D3. The auction house simply allows Blizz to regulate (and profit) from it. Even if it turns out to be fake, it's an interesting idea.

Edit: rumor confirmed
 
Last edited:
Really interesting.

I wonder, if this were true, would you see any of the money if your item does sell? I would think Blizz would keep all the real world money.
 
Didn't blizzard already confirm there would be the ability to buy/sell stuff through an ah and hinted at players being able to buy with real money and players keep almost all the money? Atleast diablofan had shown a few blues saying so
 
I don't mind anything they come up with regarding player-to-player trading and transactions, involving real money or in-game currency, but if Blizzard does improve that aspect of the game over Diablo II's non-existent in-game economy then I will definitely be pleased. I don't want to have to rely on a third-party web-site like D2JSP to trade items, but if there's nothing else then I'll have to. In the end whoever does it better (Blizzard or a third-party) is going to get my attention.

But, ultimately, all I want is to play the damn thing, really.
 
Alright... this sounds fun despite the fact that they've completely ripped out the most interesting classes from Diablo 2.

My next job: Self Employed Diablo 3 Treasure Salesman! 😀
 
I'm very much against crossing the line of fantasy game currency to real life money. I think this is a horrible idea.
 
while its kind of a bad idea it should eliminate the massive duping market that existed in D2

TB i spent a few $ on runes in D2 to complete some of the more powerful rune words back in the day
 
So anyone willing do dish out the money will end up having the best gear.....brilliant idea.

No one in their right mind will be selling the best equipment for in game gold when they can get cash. I'm wondering what % Blizzard will be getting from each transaction.
 
As long as it doesn't affect players like me who don't plan on buying virtual items with real money.
 
This is probably so they can slip their own items in for sale. Activision was probably hating on WoW for their inability to go full force into selling items because it would destroy their player base. With this system in place, it won't just be mounts/pets that cost money; you can bet there will be "exclusive" swords/armor you can only buy with money from Blizzard themselves.
 
I don't like this.

But it isn't like Diablo is an MMO or anything where player competition is required. I always hated Diablo's juvenile and unbalanced form of PVP, so I doubt I'll be participating in D3's PvP.

I am worried how this will effect bartering. I got most of my best gear through chains of bartering...
 
Last edited:
Dumac said:
I don't like this.

But it isn't like Diablo is an MMO or anything where player competition is required. I always hated Diablo's juvenile and unbalanced form of PVP, so I doubt I'll be participating in D3's PvP.

I am worried how this will effect bartering. I got most of my best gear through chains of bartering...
Click to expand...

i have to agree with this, the spastic BS dualing in D2 was pretty stupid
most PVP consisted of someone TPPKing someone
 
Dumac said:
I don't like this.

But it isn't like Diablo is an MMO or anything where player competition is required. I always hated Diablo's juvenile and unbalanced form of PVP, so I doubt I'll be participating in D3's PvP.

I am worried how this will effect bartering. I got most of my best gear through chains of bartering...
Click to expand...

Diablo is going to have arenas. There will definitely be player competition.
 
Other multiplayer games already have options to buy items with real world funds, so this is ultimately no different. It may be better the game is being designed with this aspect in mind such that any potential balance issues can be addressed by them from the start. My suspicion is somehow Blizzard will get a fee (which may have been stated in the article and I missed it) from these and this will soak up the FtP Battle.net we have all come to expect from the Diablo franchise. Either that or they will flood the game with purchaseable items outside the AH to a much greater extent than WoW has done.

I don't like it, so that means I don't have to use it. What will be more fun is watching the depths to which people will sink purchasing their precious Godly Plate of the Whale. O! the social horror!
 
This would be considered income if you sold items, right? How would all of this work with taxes?

Obviously if you sold $10 worth of stuff over a year it wouldn't matter, but what if you managed to sell $10,000 worth of items?

(I couldn't read the article, but if I sold an item for $$$, would I get an equivalent amount of in-game money, or real world cash?)
 
At first though I'm really not a fan of this. Here are a couple of thoughts:

1) The vast majority of items on the AH are going to be on the Real Money one. Who doesn't want to sell their item for real money. I hope this doesn't force everyone to use real money.

2) If the market goes sour because of the influx of items from farmers, will Blizzard artificially change the market so they make more money? i.e. change drop rates, etc

3) The screenshots I'm seeing have items at like $5.00. And while this is obviously a screenshot from a limited market, is there a limit to what you can sell an item for?

One thing I know for sure is that I'm not as hyped about the game as I was. Anytime they take a fun game and make it into "work" is a bad thing. I can see a lot of contention amongst friends as an item that might be worth hundreds of real dollars drops and now one or the other gets screwed. The other problem is now friends might not freely give items as they now have a real worth associated to them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top