The news shocked the bejesus out of me:
From InformationWeek.com to cNet.com to WoW.com, the word is out: the Chinese government is bent on stamping out gold farming and even the trading of virtual goods.
Here are the excerpts:
From Xinhuanet.com:
China bars use of virtual money for trading in real goods:
China has unveiled the first official rule on the use of virtual currency in the trade of real goods and services to limit its possible impact on the real financial system.
The government also spelled out the definition of "virtual currency" for the first time, which includes prepaid cards of cyber-games, according to a joint circular from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Commerce Friday.
"The virtual currency, which is converted into real money at a certain exchange rate, will only be allowed to trade in virtual goods and services provided by its issuer*, not real goods and services." it said.
(*The issuer meaning the game publisher, in this case. - EGF)
Under the new rules, using virtual money for gambling will be punished by public security authorities, and minors may not buy virtual money.
The Ministry of Culture also vowed to step up supervision on money laundering via virtual credits and other illegal online activities.
From news.cnet.com:
China bans online ‘gold farming’
The ban is primarily aimed at "gold farming," an Internet-age phenomenon in which players in less developed countries collect and sell virtual gold (common to games like World of Warcraft) to wealthier gamers in the developed world. This enables gamers who have the means to buy virtual gold to get ahead in the games without actually having to accomplish the grunt work.
And finally, from wow.com:
China bans gold farming:
This time, though, it looks like Blizzard may have an unlikely ally in, of all things, the Chinese government. They announced today that the trading of virtual goods for real money is now illegal in China. This ruling reaches farther than just gold farming, though. It also bans the sale of prepaid time cards for MMOs or other online games, as well as numerous technicalities we’re sure to hear about in the weeks to come.
And here’s my two cents in bullet points, in no particular order:
- We’re talking about MANY people losing their jobs. Sure, I hate those in-game spammers (helloooo and gooood riddance, Susan Express) but the majority of people in this industry work behind the scenes, quietly farming away at their computer desks to meet the demand of gold-buying customers AND feed their families - all in a setting that is a lot more humane than working in one of China’s many, many, MANY deplorable factories.
- If banning would mean getting rid of the thieving scammers who, instead of powerleveling your toon, end up power-stripping your account while you weren’t looking, then cheers to the Chinese government! The industry is plagued with hooligans, for sure. BUT….
- The RMT industry also has its share of honest, ethical sellers. Let’s not forget that one. Their misfortune is that their good performances are overshadowed by the disgusting practices of those lying cheats — tragically considered more newsworthy material by writers who abide by the maxim that controversy sells.
- The industry was founded on a need. There are players who are time-poor but want to continue their subscription without spending their free time grinding while their time-rich counterparts unleash hell in Naxx or Ulduar. Now in order to join them, you better have damn good gear (which you can get from quest rewards, drops or the AH). Damn good gear you can’t loot on your own is available at the AH, but the price tag leaves you screaming and invoking a higher power….and typing http-www-gold seller of your choice- dot com. Now take away dem gold sellers and what have you got? A time poor subscriber who can’t join the big leagues contemplating on canceling his subscription. Yeah, I believe that a total ban on gold sellers will impact MMO subscriptions. (Side note: Remus has already declared that if he loses the gold-buying option, he will cancel three of his four accounts, leaving the one account where his 80s are for keeping in touch with his closest guildies).
- I read comments from rabid anti-RMT people stating that this move should bring balance to the game economy again.I wonder if they really know what they’re talking about. Take for instance one dude who said that gold buyers are the reason that prices in the AH are deplorably sky-high. He said, "Because the people selling the items at the AH know that there are players who can easily buy gold to buy their items, they don’t think twice about charging 1000g for an item whose real value is only 200g." Here’s a second interesting comment: "If you want something you must work for it" - a subtle attack on the perceived laziness behind every gold purchase. Oh, here’s another comment from an Anonymous dude: "If there weren’t gold farmers, you wouldn’t need the extra gold. End of story."
My rebuttal? Dude, the fact is that there are two sets of rich toons in WoW: 1) the guys who buys gold; and 2) the guy who grinds for it. Even if you take away the gold buyer from the equation, there will always be greedy little jerks in the game who will overprice their sh*t in the AH! So happy effing grinding to all of us and in order to devote myself to this third (albeit unofficial) profession let me just complete the following steps:
1. Quit my day job
2. Stop dating my special girl
3. Live with my parents
4. Subsist on hot pockets and Mountain Dew
5. Start wearing adult diapers
6. Devote a huge chunk of my life EVERY SINGLE DAY doing the dailies
7. Forget going to a real barber. The little green dude in Org will take care of my grooming needs
Of course, I was being sarcastic.
"If you want something you must work for it." - Okay, dude, since you have such a strong work ethic and plenty of time on your hands , I challenge you to NEVER EVER pay someone to do anything for you. Mow your own lawn, wash your own clothes, babysit your own kids, make your own pizza, fix your own car, fix whatever you want to fix…bottom line is you want something you effing do it yourself.
And as for that line "if there weren’t gold farmers, you wouldn’t need the extra gold. End of story"?
Dude, if there were no gold farmers, we wouldn’t know where to find the time to grind gold. End of subscription !"
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