Diablo 3: Auction house to accept real cash

[Chiropteran]

Given that you're the most vocal proponent here, I'm curious...do you think this change is going to make the game better? Or are you looking forward to making money off of it?

You've continually defended this....why? What do you have at stake here?

TBH, I wasn't even set on buying Diablo 3 until I heard about this. It's just a refreshing change from Blizzard's usual stance of gold selling is bad and we must ban anyone who does it.

I think it will make the game more honest. Having played WoW long enough to see a few obviously ebayed characters, I'd rather it just be out in the open and legal rather than trying to fake it and pretend it doesn't exist.

I certainly like to dream about the idea of randomly finding some super-rare item and selling it for $1000, but I know that the reality of it is that all the kids and 3rd world country farmers will drive prices down so much that any income from the game will be minuscule. I don't have a problem with that, I have a real job. All the same, even if it's only a random couple bucks each week it would be cool to say you make some money playing a game you enjoy.


edit: Ross Ridge, you have no idea. I didn't even finish Diablo 2, the game got boring rather fast for me. I've quit WoW since I only have enough time to play LoL these days. If I am a Blizzard fanboy I don't do a very good job at it

 

[stlcardinals]

I approve of it.

Since I'm going to play alone or with, at most, two other friends I really don't care about it. In fact, I'll probably sell all of my extra items purely for cash. Why not, right? And what does it hurt? Nothing. The game will be no different than D2 was for me, except now I can make $5 here and there rather than vendoring or storing items I will never use.

+1

I'll probably dabble in the RMTAH enough to pay for my WoW subscription.

 

[Glitchny]

I approve of it.

Since I'm going to play alone or with, at most, two other friends I really don't care about it. In fact, I'll probably sell all of my extra items purely for cash. Why not, right? And what does it hurt? Nothing. The game will be no different than D2 was for me, except now I can make $5 here and there rather than vendoring or storing items I will never use.

Pretty much exactly how I feel as well. The game will be the same as D2 was for me, solo with a few friends, might buy/sell things on the AH. Should be a fun time playing with friends.

 

[Anubis]

Pretty much exactly how I feel as well. The game will be the same as D2 was for me, solo with a few friends, might buy/sell things on the AH. Should be a fun time playing with friends.

you need to move to a more appropriate time zone. I have like 5 people here who cant wait for the game

 

[Wyndru]

I certainly like to dream about the idea of randomly finding some super-rare item and selling it for $1000, but I know that the reality of it is that all the kids and 3rd world country farmers will drive prices down so much that any income from the game will be minuscule. I don't have a problem with that, I have a real job. All the same, even if it's only a random couple bucks each week it would be cool to say you make some money playing a game you enjoy.

And this is exactly what makes it pointless. Nothing will be worth anything, and people will just be complaining about the cost to post an item, especially when they aren't selling. (Unless it is not like the WoW ah and they don't charge you for a posting fee as well as a cut when the item gets sold).

I think all the supporters will retreat when they realize that in addition to finding these worthless items, they also need to spend a lot of time camping at the AH to actually sell anything, AND they get charged by blizzard. In the end I don't see the point, and just think it will piss people off.

 

[Chiropteran]

Nothing will be worth anything, and people will just be complaining about the cost to post an item, especially when they aren't selling.

I agree with your prediction about the state of selling but I disagree that it is a bad thing. Only the rarest and best items will even be worth posting. I don't want to sift through pages and pages on $.25 "blue" level gear before finding something useful. I'm hoping the fees will keep the crap and average gear out of the cash AH.

 

[Glitchny]

you need to move to a more appropriate time zone. I have like 5 people here who cant wait for the game

No you just need the stay up later so I have someone else to play with, or move west.

 

[BD2003]

TBH, I wasn't even set on buying Diablo 3 until I heard about this. It's just a refreshing change from Blizzard's usual stance of gold selling is bad and we must ban anyone who does it.

I think it will make the game more honest. Having played WoW long enough to see a few obviously ebayed characters, I'd rather it just be out in the open and legal rather than trying to fake it and pretend it doesn't exist.

I certainly like to dream about the idea of randomly finding some super-rare item and selling it for $1000, but I know that the reality of it is that all the kids and 3rd world country farmers will drive prices down so much that any income from the game will be minuscule. I don't have a problem with that, I have a real job. All the same, even if it's only a random couple bucks each week it would be cool to say you make some money playing a game you enjoy.


edit: Ross Ridge, you have no idea. I didn't even finish Diablo 2, the game got boring rather fast for me. I've quit WoW since I only have enough time to play LoL these days. If I am a Blizzard fanboy I don't do a very good job at it

But if the likely income is so minuscule, how is it even worth it to allow this to intrude into the game experience in the first place? Can't you see how damaging to the game it is if you can purchase high level, game breaking items for 99c?

It just seems to me that in the end this decision results in everyone losing but activision.

It's like what you're saying is that because people are just going to do it anyway, the US government should just allow citizens to sell heroin and collect sales tax on it. They can save all the money on the war on drugs, and just profit from it instead. It's destructive, but its happening anyway, so why fight it when you can profit from it?

 

[Chiropteran]

But if the likely income is so minuscule, how is it even worth it to allow this to intrude into the game experience in the first place? Can't you see how damaging to the game it is if you can purchase high level, game breaking items for 99c?

It just seems to me that in the end this decision results in everyone losing but activision.

It's like what you're saying is that because people are just going to do it anyway, the US government should sell heroin. They can save all the money on the war on drugs, and just profit from it instead. It's destructive, but its happening anyway, so why fight it when you can profit from it?

Agreed, the war on drugs is a horrible waste of taxpayer money.
But the political forum is ->

How does it damage the game if you can buy a nice item for $1? Does it damage the game when a high level player has a friend join and he gives his friend some free money and gear to start out? What makes it okay in one case but not okay in the other?

There is a market for the sort of game where you can't ever get any outside help and everyone is on equal terms. It's the "dota style" game, or MOBA. Diablo 3 isn't that. Diablo 1-2 and diablo style games have always had item trading and as a result they have always had twinking.

Also...

But if the likely income is so minuscule, how is it even worth it to allow this to intrude into the game experience in the first place?

I expect it to be minuscule BECAUSE OF the auction house and the fact that it's legitimatized. If there was no auction house, and the only way to buy stuff for money was shady 3rd party asian companies, those professional gold/item farmers could rip people off a lot more and charge more. I see a lot of people in these thread pissed at blizzard for stealing that per item transaction fee, while I myself would much rather see the money go to blizzard than some crappy asian gold farming syndicate. Just like legalized mj would allow the money to go to american farmers instead of Columbia drug lords, but that is another subject

 

[Ross Ridge]

If I am a Blizzard fanboy I don't do a very good job at it

You've done an incredible job of being a Diablo III fanboy in this thread. Someone with a vested financial interest in the game succeding, like say a Blizzard empoyee, wouldn't have demonstrated your amazing ability.

 

[Beev]

And this is exactly what makes it pointless. Nothing will be worth anything, and people will just be complaining about the cost to post an item, especially when they aren't selling. (Unless it is not like the WoW ah and they don't charge you for a posting fee as well as a cut when the item gets sold).

This is how Amazon works. You list for free (for as long as you want) and when it sells Amazon will get their cut. I simply don't see Blizzard doing it any other way. Ebay's policies are terrible. They're the ones who charge you to even list an item.

 

[Chiropteran]

You've done an incredible job of being a Diablo III fanboy in this thread. Someone with a vested financial interest in the game succeding, like say a Blizzard empoyee, wouldn't have demonstrated your amazing ability.

Perhaps you could write a recommendation for me which I can attach to my resume.

 

[Chiropteran]

This is how Amazon works. You list for free (for as long as you want) and when it sells Amazon will get their cut. I simply don't see Blizzard doing it any other way. Ebay's policies are terrible. They're the ones who charge you to even list an item.

I'm not sure how new this is, but you can list items for free on ebay currently. Includes 1 pic, even with buy it now. Fee is only charged when the item sells. There is a limit to 100 items or $5000 per month, whichever comes first.

 

[ImDonly1]

This is how Amazon works. You list for free (for as long as you want) and when it sells Amazon will get their cut. I simply don't see Blizzard doing it any other way. Ebay's policies are terrible. They're the ones who charge you to even list an item.

I think amazon takes a bigger share than ebay does. Not 100% on that as I have never used it.

 

[OCNewbie]

The way I see it is this is a bit of a test by Blizzard, Activision, whoever is in charge. None of us really know for sure what's going to happen until they roll the game out and people start playing. Because this game is almost exclusively loot-oriented, every piece of loot will have a dollar sign attached to it, that most every player will be aware of (not just the ones that make the choice to go to outside sources and pay $ for gear). If you play Diablo 3, there will be no realistic way to avoid tying cash with your items. That is, not if you plan to have even a remote connection with the player base/community as a whole, like you could with Diablo 2.

Anything any of us says in this thread will be just a prediction. I guess we'll all find out how things pan out once the game is released and people start playing. Some of our predictions will be accurate, some won't.

I would love the idea of a cash-free server, but of course how does Blizzard make money off that server? I don't think they can, so the likelihood of that kind of server existing is probably nil, unless there is widespread vocal disapproval of the game once it comes out, and sales aren't what Blizzard expects. Maybe then, but not otherwise.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I think amazon takes a bigger share than ebay does. Not 100% on that as I have never used it.

They do, a pretty significantly bigger share. At least last time I sold stuff there some years ago. The flip side is your item stays up for a lot longer and they do reimburse you for shipping. There's no bidding either, which could be a good or a bad thing depending on whether you like to hope for bidding wars or if you prefer to just set a price.

 

[Dumac]

But I also have the other concern. The mere presence of a potential monetary value to your items and your time cheapens the experience. Perhaps "making it into work" isn't the best description, as that's only one facet of it. Getting a rare object used to be it's intrinsic reward on it's own. Now it has a dollar value attached. Dollars are real. The game isn't just a fantasy virtual world anymore when the stuff in it has real world value. It's not a cool set of armor when it's potentially money in your pocket. It taints the fun of playing the game to it's core. It's crossing a line that I don't want crossed.

I could see this...

 

[Beev]

Didn't know ebay no longer charges. Good for them, too bad the service is still terrible.

Ebay's fee is a flat 9%. Amazon's varies, and they reimburse you for shipping. I've actually made money off of them because of that. Item sells for $10, Amazon's cut is less than $3.99, shipping is less than $3.99, but they reimburse me $3.99.

 

[tedrodai]

My counter-opinion to those who can't stand that people spend real currency on in-game stuff:

While I used to feel negatively about this, that was when I was a kid, didn't have a job, and had plenty of free time. Now that I'm an adult with with a career and family and all the responsibilities that go with that, I totally get the idea of buying stuff to save time/effort. There are ALL sorts of luxuries that people spend their money on, so why not a game if it improves their enjoyment? And if the people willing to dish out money will end up with all the best gear...uh isn't that how life generally works? Video games are a luxury, pure and simple. I would equate the feeling of getting angry at "someone who spends extra money on a video game" to getting angry at "someone who purchases the sky-boxes at football games" or "someone who has an exclusive table at an expensive restaurant."

I would LOVE to have a seat in one of the skyboxes at Bryant-Denny Stadium (home of my favorite team). Here are several ways I can accomplish this goal, though I'm sure there's more:
1) win the lottery (and spends gobs of luxury cash towards the seat)
2) start a profitable business that can someday afford it, and maybe even use the skybox to impress clients
3) get to know the right people

Getting mad at the people who sit there now doesn't improve my situation at all. It just gives me a headache and high blood pressure. Making fun of them because they spend so much money on such a trivial thing is just an artificial way to make me feel better about myself through judging them or maybe simply to mask jealousy.

BTW, those same basic methods would be available to me in-game as well, without having to spend a dime of real currency:
1) get super lucky with an uber rare drop
2) trade up and up and up til I can afford the stuff I want
3) get to know ppl who can hook me up

The nature of online multiplayer games is that you're dealing with other people. If you're THAT disgusted with it, you should take it less seriously (it's a game afterall). If you're upset that it's not fair, I guess you haven't learned that life lesson yet. If you wish you had that kind of money to waste, go to school! Work harder/smarter! Take charge of your life and work to improve your situation. (or maybe if you're younger...be patient! lol)

I think Bliz's idea is ingenious. Why let the middle-men make all the money?

 

[Glitchny]

The way I see it is this is a bit of a test by Blizzard, Activision, whoever is in charge. None of us really know for sure what's going to happen until they roll the game out and people start playing. Because this game is almost exclusively loot-oriented, every piece of loot will have a dollar sign attached to it, that most every player will be aware of (not just the ones that make the choice to go to outside sources and pay $ for gear). If you play Diablo 3, there will be no realistic way to avoid tying cash with your items. That is, not if you plan to have even a remote connection with the player base/community as a whole, like you could with Diablo 2.

Anything any of us says in this thread will be just a prediction. I guess we'll all find out how things pan out once the game is released and people start playing. Some of our predictions will be accurate, some won't.

I would love the idea of a cash-free server, but of course how does Blizzard make money off that server? I don't think they can, so the likelihood of that kind of server existing is probably nil, unless there is widespread vocal disapproval of the game once it comes out, and sales aren't what Blizzard expects. Maybe then, but not otherwise.

They already stated that hardcore games will not use the cash AH.

 

[OCNewbie]

They already stated that hardcore games will not use the cash AH.

Right, I'm looking for a way to play without cash with NO compromises, a la Diablo 1 and Diablo 2.

 

[Chiropteran]

Right, I'm looking for a way to play without cash with NO compromises, a la Diablo 1 and Diablo 2.

http://d2items.com/

That is what you want?

 

[tedrodai]

But if the likely income is so minuscule, how is it even worth it to allow this to intrude into the game experience in the first place? Can't you see how damaging to the game it is if you can purchase high level, game breaking items for 99c?

It just seems to me that in the end this decision results in everyone losing but activision.

It's like what you're saying is that because people are just going to do it anyway, the US government should just allow citizens to sell heroin and collect sales tax on it. They can save all the money on the war on drugs, and just profit from it instead. It's destructive, but its happening anyway, so why fight it when you can profit from it?

I respect your opinion, and I just made mine perfectly clear in my above post. However, the comparison to heroin is kind of off the wall. I get your point, but common...that's a little over the top.

The fact is that there's been a price tag attached to all your in-game items for years and years in games like this. It's simply not been as easily visible, and therefore easier to ignore. It's always been legal (and it's not abused to the point of destroying lives like heroin lol).

If you absolutely can't enjoy it because it's so visible, I'm very sorry. I myself very much enjoy finding items myself...the thrill of getting that rare drop that's worth so much (in-game) beats simply trading for it or buying it with my hard-earned cash, but sometimes I try to be realistic: I'm likely to never obtain that .00000000000000001% drop I'm dying to have unless I buy it from someone, and $5.00 to save HUNDREDS of real-life hours playing just to obtain it? Uh...yeah. What's the item in-game for other than to enhance your playing experience? That $5 ends up making my time spent in-game soooooooo much more enjoyable than it would be otherwise. You won't find me spending tons of money for stuff like this, but I am not at all opposed to it being available.

Frankly, if it becomes so prolific that you have to spend money on items, then I'm just going to not play the damn game. It's not the end of the world. I'm really looking forward to D3...I mean D2 is my all-time favorite game overall from the amount of enjoyment I got from it. But if they screw it up I'll drop 'em like a hot potato.

 

[BD2003]

My counter-opinion to those who can't stand that people spend real currency on in-game stuff:

While I used to feel negatively about this, that was when I was a kid, didn't have a job, and had plenty of free time. Now that I'm an adult with with a career and family and all the responsibilities that go with that, I totally get the idea of buying stuff to save time/effort. There are ALL sorts of luxuries that people spend their money on, so why not a game if it improves their enjoyment? And if the people willing to dish out money will end up with all the best gear...uh isn't that how life generally works? Video games are a luxury, pure and simple. I would equate the feeling of getting angry at "someone who spends extra money on a video game" to getting angry at "someone who purchases the sky-boxes at football games" or "someone who has an exclusive table at an expensive restaurant."

I would LOVE to have a seat in one of the skyboxes at Bryant-Denny Stadium (home of my favorite team). Here are several ways I can accomplish this goal, though I'm sure there's more:
1) win the lottery (and spends gobs of luxury cash towards the seat)
2) start a profitable business that can someday afford it, and maybe even use the skybox to impress clients
3) get to know the right people

Getting mad at the people who sit there now doesn't improve my situation at all. It just gives me a headache and high blood pressure. Making fun of them because they spend so much money on such a trivial thing is just an artificial way to make me feel better about myself through judging them or maybe simply to mask jealousy.

BTW, those same basic methods would be available to me in-game as well, without having to spend a dime of real currency:
1) get super lucky with an uber rare drop
2) trade up and up and up til I can afford the stuff I want
3) get to know ppl who can hook me up

The nature of online multiplayer games is that you're dealing with other people. If you're THAT disgusted with it, you should take it less seriously (it's a game afterall). If you're upset that it's not fair, I guess you haven't learned that life lesson yet. If you wish you had that kind of money to waste, go to school! Work harder/smarter! Take charge of your life and work to improve your situation. (or maybe if you're younger...be patient! lol)

I think Bliz's idea is ingenious. Why let the middle-men make all the money?

Well, there are some key differences here - in the real world, that skybox is a luxury and priced accordingly because it's literally a scarce resource. Virtual scarcity is completely arbitrary.

The developers design at will the scarcity and power of the loot, typically to make a balanced and enjoyable game. People want to buy enjoyable games, so the profit motive typically would start and end at that.

But what happens when you tie the profit motive to the game mechanics themselves? If they sell shortcuts and XP, the devs are motivated to make the game more difficult to enhance uber item sales. They may make content that is inaccessible to those who don't pay up. They may put players who don't pay up at a disadvantage. In the end, this doesn't benefit gamers, it just benefits the devs pockets. Gamers lose.

Im not against people being able to pay to get ahead, as long as the game devs arent the beneficiary. When third parties provide those benefits, whether it's farmed gold or a super precise gaming mouse, it doesn't affect the game design. There's no conflict of interest.

You say people should just learn to accept that it's not fair. That's it's just life. But that's exactly it - it's not real life. It's a game. It doesn't need to be bound by real world constraints. A great game can be fair to all - its the balanced games that typically rise to the top as the best games. That's why we love them, why they're such great diversions.

Their idea IS ingenious from a business perspective. But it's destructive from a game design perspective. It's only when the first party ties profit with mechanics that those two things don't align as they usually do.

 

[Puppies04]

Would love to see the look some people in this threads faces when an item they don't need drops that is worth $200 and they realise they are on a server where they can't sell items.