Blizzard reveals Real Money Auction House Fees

[Eric the Orange]

I would honestly prefer if they only did the percentage and not the flat rate, that just promotes price inflation.

That being said I have no plan on using it, but it seems like a bad Idea on a business perspective on blizzards end.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

People used to make these transactions in WoW. I don't know if they still do that. It's only natural for Blizzard to step in and regulate transactions in their favor. And if that's how people want to spend their money I don't see a problem. You can earn money as well doing this. I'm not interested in the game. But if I were, I'd like to be able to make money by playing a game I like. Who wouldn't?

 

[Eric the Orange]

I would honestly prefer if they only did the percentage and not the flat rate, that just promotes price inflation.

That being said I have no plan on using it, but it seems like a bad Idea on a business perspective on blizzards end.

It is more or less a countermeasure for flooding the AH with tiny sales. A lesson learned from having the WoW AH running for years. "Want to make money? Sell something big. Once".

Really, hmmm. I'll admit my experience with WoW is limited but all I ever sold was stacks of reagents at slightly lower than market price. I guess I never made big money but it was enough to do anything I wanted with.

Anyways as long as they keep the minimum price at 1.25 I see no reason not to just use the 15% for everything. The way it is now encourages higher prices (you'll keep a higher percentage of what you put in). I'd think that supply and demand would set the prices well enough on it's own.

 

[LetalisK]

The 3 separate game thing was pretty lame but I got over it. Nah, I just really didn't like the game. I was a very long time Brood Wars fan and Starcraft 2 basically shit in my face at every turn. I gave it a very solid chance, I played it a lot for about 6 months, and on and off another 6 months after that but I finally had to just give it up.

...the fuck?

Developers the world over want detractors like you.

OT: I don't really care. I'll never use it, not even the in-game currency function. I usually play Diablo games 2 or 3 times through than never again since I'm not into the multiplayer aspect of it.

 

[Twilight_guy]

So Blizzard is making a profit off this (shock shock, surprise surprise) which should be as shocking as the sunrise to anyone who knows anything about economics. I'm sorry but you can make real world money from selling virtual goods that you got for free from random drops in game. YOUR MAKING MONEY FOR PLAYING A GAME AND GETTING A GOOD LOOT ROLL AND YOUR COMPLAINING! Yeah, some people need to go fuck themselves with both fists.

It's not a job but its still making money for playing a game, I don't care if they do take a cut if I get the "hammer of super pretty unicorns" and can sell it not for useless game based currency but 100 bucks profit I'm happy. Hell if you play this game long enough it could literally pay for itself. This is insanity and people are com paling that its somehow an offense to them? God, Blizzard should just stop trying and do whatever the fuck they want because gamers are as dumb as a sack of rocks.

 

[Dendio]

Buy torchlight 2 for $20. Buy your friend a second copy for $20. Buy a pizza and enjoy a lan torchlight 2 night with your friend

Or

pay $60 for diablo 3. Enjoy pay to win auction house and mandatory internet requirement.

 

[Bat Vader]

I can't wait to hear about how someone spent their life savings on some rare armor or a rare weapon.

I cancelled my pre-order for the Diablo 3 Collector's Edition when I learned that the game would use always online DRM.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

The 3 separate game thing was pretty lame but I got over it. Nah, I just really didn't like the game. I was a very long time Brood Wars fan and Starcraft 2 basically shit in my face at every turn. I gave it a very solid chance, I played it a lot for about 6 months, and on and off another 6 months after that but I finally had to just give it up.

...the fuck?

Developers the world over want detractors like you.

OT: I don't really care. I'll never use it, not even the in-game currency function. I usually play Diablo games 2 or 3 times through than never again since I'm not into the multiplayer aspect of it.

Haha
Well, it never would have gotten that chance if it wasn't Starcraft. It isn't that impressive when you consider I've been playing Brood Wars since it came out and still do. 14 years or so.

 

[Von Strimmer]

Well at least they cant hide behind the games as art excuse if everything doesnt work out

 

[Rack]

Ahhhh and Blizzard makes it's next great move in the battle to prove that they are still the undisputed champions in screwing over their fanbase. The contender, EA, is like the short scrappy fighter, landing many blows in a short period of time. Blizzard is like the heavyweight, slower to come out with such bullshit, but when they do it's a big punch.

How is this feature screwing over people!?
You can buy the gear with in-game currancy.
You can still get the gear by killing the boss yourself (and with a bit of luck)

It just gives people that want the easy way out, a chance to do so. At the risk of losing money.

It's ALL OPTIONAL!

The problem is there are no good options.

1) Spend extra money on items to be able to keep pace with other players. In doing so destroy one of the most appealing aspects of the game (looking for loot) and have the feeling of being gouged. Additionally make the game incredibly easy.
2) Refuse to spend the money and play multiplayer. Have absolutely no opportunity to affect the game in any way as other players deal 20x as much damage as you and have 20x as many hit points.
3) Play single player only. Put up with lag, the inability to pause or mod the game for absolutely no benefit. Occasionally need to grind the everliving fuck out of the game to proceed.

1) Keep the phase of other players?
What game are you playing?

2) Yeah because I didn't have to deal with that when a single guy played it more than me in D2?
Or the guy who bought the items from gold buying sources ?
Really this is a legit arguement?
How about me having to deal with the people who are just plain old better than me? boohohohoho I cant be the very best no one ever was because now people can do the exact same thing I wouldn't do I diablo 2 easier and I just dont think my ego can handle that.

3) Now this might legit complaint if you have a shitty connection. But then again I dont see people whining over it when TF2 came out or L4D. There are tons of games that really cannot b played without an internet connection. You dont complain there.

1/2 Boop boop beep boop boop boop.

3) L4D can be played offline, but if we're talking TF2 there's a massive difference. TF2 is a multiplayer focussed game, there's nothing to it if you aren't playing online. With Diablo III I at least have absolutely zero interest in the multiplayer (as a direct result of the RMAH). In general terms it absolutely has a working single player mode and that should absolutely be available offline.

 

[getoffmycloud]

Ahhhh and Blizzard makes it's next great move in the battle to prove that they are still the undisputed champions in screwing over their fanbase. The contender, EA, is like the short scrappy fighter, landing many blows in a short period of time. Blizzard is like the heavyweight, slower to come out with such bullshit, but when they do it's a big punch.

How is this feature screwing over people!?
You can buy the gear with in-game currancy.
You can still get the gear by killing the boss yourself (and with a bit of luck)

It just gives people that want the easy way out, a chance to do so. At the risk of losing money.

It's ALL OPTIONAL!

There is no point in trying to get anyone here to see sense it won't happen and what most people are forgetting is blizzard has basically given people a way to make back the money they spent on the game in the first place which if you ask me is awesome.

 

[Rack]

3) L4D can be played offline, but if we're talking TF2 there's a massive difference. TF2 is a multiplayer focussed game, there's nothing to it if you aren't playing online. With Diablo III I at least have absolutely zero interest in the multiplayer (as a direct result of the RMAH). In general terms it absolutely has a working single player mode and that should absolutely be available offline.

Now this i find interesting. Apparently it is not a multiplayer focused game like team fortress, but all your problems seem to be with you dealing with other players who got better gear than you. So its is a single player game (for you) where the problems you have is with the other players? Huh?

Also just because there is a single player option doesn't mean you should be able to play it offline. I can play MMO's without interacting with a single person, that doesn't mean that is what the game is about. The point is to play it with your friends. Just like L4D. I have never used the single player in L4D, and even if I did being online to do it wouldn't prevent me. I doubt anyone buys L4D to play it singleplayer.

I'd prefer to play multiplayer, if it wasn't for the RMAH then the always on requirement wouldn't bother me overly because I'd pretty much always be playing multiplayer. However RMAH kills any interest I have in the multiplayer and singleplayer is the only option.

 

[Kargathia]

With the added incentives for REAL MONEY, I could see people playing for hundreds of hours (most likely not having any fun, knowing grind) for all the wrong reasons. And Blizzard is going to lap all of it up.

Yeah, no. I don't need to waste that much of my life grinding away for nothing.
I did my time in Diablo 2, thanks.

This is pretty much exactly what happened in WoW already - goldfarmer bonanza.

The only difference now is that Blizzard legalises it, and expects a cut. It's comparable to the war on weed really - if you can't beat them, you tax it.

 

[Indecipherable]

I'll just play the game rather than worry about an auction house. No need to get your panties all in a knot.

 

[VladG]

My only real problem with this whole scenario is that the currently listed rates seems to be totaly borked for internationals like myself, allow me to explain in america the transfer fee is one dollar, in england its one pound.

One British pound is about the equivilant of 1.6 US dollars, so basicly anyone buying or selling items in the UK is paying blizzard 60% more in fees than someone in the US, this seems totaly unjustified.

Add to this the fact that you cannot use the real money auction house outside your own region, as it is locked to your battlenet account. Im sure im not the only person in a country outside the US who will end up paying more 'blizzard tax' just to use this service.

Bottom line blizz needs to unify the cost based on exchange rates so that everyone is taxed equally, leaving it in its current state is basicly a form of favoritism/discrimination depending on where you live, your region of the world should not effect the amount of money you have to give blizzard on every transfer, that is to me unacceptable.

They might adjust the value accordingly. So you will pay 0.6 pounds per transaction rather than 1 dollar.

I do think the cuts are steep though. I was expecting something like 2-5%, but not 15.

 

[RJ 17]

I have to admire it in a way. The market is out there, can't stop that. So instead they use it. Not so great, but good thinking.

Yeah, the same here. Not only will D3 will be a success and be played a lot (let's face it, it's a Blizzard game - they are known for that stuff) but they also take an immediate cut of all transactions in the game. And the transactions are legalised, not that it was a problem before, it's just pretty much free money now that it's official. Furthermore, since players can now earn cash (but let's face it, they'll also spend a lot) that would also kick up the use of the market. Besides, it helps combat duping. It's a win situation for Blizz. They are evil geniuses. Well, I wouldn't call them "evil" but still something to that effect.

Oh, they are evil. But still geniuses.

Thats the difference between Blizzard and EA. EA stumbles through the gaming world, fucking up and every corner, thus being called a curse. Blizzard wickedly lurks in the shadows doing the really bad stuff.

They do say the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he does not exist.

Reminds me of one of my all-time favorite Penny-Arcade strips: